Army says Arlington National Cemetery worker was ‘pushed aside’ by Trump aides

Graves pinch flags for Memorial Day are seen successful Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, successful Arlington, Va., connected May 27, 2024. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

The U.S. Army said an worker astatine Arlington National Cemetery who tried to “ensure adherence” to rules that prohibit governmental activities astatine nan cemetery “was abruptly pushed aside,” but that nan worker decided not to property charges against nan Trump run staffers who allegedly pushed her.

The connection Thursday comes successful consequence to NPR’s reporting connected erstwhile President Donald Trump’s sojourn to Arlington and an altercation his unit had pinch a cemetery employee.

“Participants successful nan August 26th ceremonial and nan consequent Section 60 sojourn were made alert of national laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which intelligibly prohibit governmental activities connected cemetery grounds,” nan connection said. “An ANC worker who attempted to guarantee adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside. Consistent pinch nan decorum expected astatine ANC, this worker acted pinch professionalism and avoided further disruption. The incident was reported to nan JBM-HH constabulary department, but nan worker subsequently decided not to property charges. Therefore, nan Army considers this matter closed.”

The Army, successful its statement, called nan incident “unfortunate,” adding: “it is besides unfortunate that nan ANC worker and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked.”

The connection comes a time aft Trump shared a TikTok video including footage from Arlington National Cemetery that apt violates a national rule against utilizing subject cemeteries for campaigning purposes.

NPR reported Trump run staffers had a beingness altercation pinch an Arlington National Cemetery staffer connected Monday complete nan restriction.

It’s not nan first clip Trump has been accused of politicizing nan military, but nan run is seeking to downplay what happened successful nan aftermath.

Trump was astatine Arlington Monday to commemorate nan 3rd day of an onslaught successful Afghanistan that killed 13 U.S. servicemembers amidst nan disastrous withdrawal of troops. Trump and different Republicans person blamed President Biden and Vice President Harris for nan chaos and nonaccomplishment of life.

The 21-second video shows Trump laying a wreath astatine nan Tomb of nan Unknown Soldier and respective snippets of Trump joining Gold Star family members astatine gravesites of their loved ones successful a portion of nan cemetery known arsenic Section 60.

“We mislaid 13 awesome great people, what a horrible time it was,” Trump says complete somber music. “We didn’t suffer 1 personification successful 18 months and past they took complete nan disaster, nan leaving of Afghanistan.”

But nan Trump run was not authorized to movie aliases photograph successful Section 60, national rule prohibits nan usage of subject cemeteries for run events, and 2 run staffers sewage successful a beingness and verbal altercation pinch nan Arlington staffer that tried to forestall nan filming.

In a connection aft NPR’s original story, family members coming Monday said they invited Trump and gave support for his photographer and videographer to archive an affectional infinitesimal of remembrance.

Some of those family members besides said astatine nan Republican National Convention, bashing Biden and vocally endorsing Trump.

“Joe Biden whitethorn person forgotten that our children died, but we person not forgotten, Donald Trump has not forgotten,” said Cheryl Juels successful Milwaukee astatine nan RNC successful July. Juels is nan aunt of Sgt. Nicole Gee, 1 of nan 13 killed astatine Abbey Gate successful 2021.

“Joe Biden owes nan men and women that served successful Afghanistan a indebtedness of gratitude and an apology. Donald Trump loves this state and will ne'er hide nan sacrifice and bravery of our work members,” she added. “Join america successful putting him backmost successful nan White House.”

Though nan loved ones said they were OK pinch nan cameras present, nan families do not person nan powerfulness to suspend nan rules.

NPR has besides learned nan family of a Green Beret who died by suicide, whose headstone is visible successful pictures and videos posted by nan campaign, did not springiness support to beryllium included.

The Trump run responds

In nan aftermath of nan sojourn to Arlington, nan Trump run consequence has taken connected a reside of nastiness. One spokesperson said nan cemetery staffer was “clearly suffering from a intelligence wellness episode,” promising to merchandise footage of nan brushwood but truthful acold declining to do so.

On nan run way successful Pennsylvania Wednesday, nan Republican vice statesmanlike nominee, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, said Harris could “go to hell” complete nan Afghanistan withdrawal and blamed reporters for nan campaign’s contention that he called a “disagreement.”

“You guys successful nan media, you’re acting for illustration Donald Trump filmed a TV commercialized astatine a gravesite,” Vance said. “He was location providing affectional support to a batch of brave Americans who mislaid loved ones they ne'er should person lost. And location happened to beryllium a camera there, and personification gave him support to person that camera there.”

Meanwhile, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who attended nan Arlington events pinch Trump, apologized in a societal media station for sending a run fundraising email pinch a photograph of him and nan erstwhile president successful Section 60 pinch nan family of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover.

Cox’s charismatic gubernatorial X relationship posted a photograph from nan restricted area, and nan station is still online.

This is not nan first clip Trump has been accused of politicizing nan subject for his individual gain. He’s allegedly called dormant soldiers “suckers and losers,” insulted nan precocious John McCain for being a captive of warfare and recently stoked controversy for saying civilian Medal of Freedom recipients are overmuch amended than those who received nan Medal of Honor — nan highest subject grant successful nan country, often fixed posthumously.