Army defends Arlington Cemetery staffer ‘pushed aside’ by Trump aides

The Army on Thursday defended a staff member at Arlington National Cemetery who found herself in a brief confrontation with two men working for the Trump campaign, saying in a statement that she “acted with professionalism” during the encounter and that her reputation has been “unfairly attacked” by the former president’s representatives.

The woman, whom Army officials have requested remain unidentified due to concerns for her safety, sought to restrict photography by the Trump campaign in accordance with federal regulations barring partisan activity at the cemetery, the final resting place of more than 400,000 U.S. troops, veterans and family members. Former president Donald Trump was there to mark the third anniversary of a suicide bombing during the evacuation of Afghanistan that killed 13 U.S. troops, and the families of two of those service members had invited him to accompany them to their loved one’s graves.

But cemetery staff had laid out guidelines in advance of the visit that made clear there was to be no official photography during a graveside visit in Section 60, a 14-acre plot where many veterans of recent wars are buried. After the employee sought to reinforce those guidelines, she was “abruptly pushed aside” by the people in Trump’s entourage, officials said in the statement.

The confrontation prompted the woman to file a report with law enforcement, but officials said she later decided not to press charges. “Therefore,” the statement says, “the Army considers this matter closed.”

The identities of the two campaign employees alleged to be involved have not been disclosed.

The Pentagon did not want to prevent the former president from attending Monday’s ceremony while he runs for office, defense officials familiar with the matter said, but it had been unambiguous with Trump’s campaign about its intent to enforce a federal law that states: “Memorial services and ceremonies at Army National Military Cemeteries will not include partisan political activities.”

The plan had Trump attending a ceremony and laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns alongside two Marines who were badly wounded in the suicide attack just outside Kabul’s airport on Aug. 26, 2021, the defense officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the Pentagon’s view of a highly charged incident. That effort, with both approved media coverage and campaign photography, went according to plan.

As the families and Trump then made their way to Section 60, independent news media peeled off, but the Trump campaign photographer followed the president, prompting the Arlington staff member to intervene and triggering the altercation, defense officials said.

After news of the incident was first reported by NPR on Tuesday night, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung alleged without evidence that the cemetery employee had suffered a “mental health episode,” and Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita called her a “despicable individual,” slights the Army addressed head-on in its statement Thursday.

“This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked,” the Army said. “ANC is a national shrine to the honored dead of the Armed Forces, and its dedicated staff will continue to ensure public ceremonies are conducted with the dignity and respect the nation’s fallen deserve.”