Ted Johnson
UPDATE: The U.S. Army released a statement this morning defending an Arlington National Cemetery employee who got in an altercation with one or more Trump campaign staffers over the use of a photographer at a site where recent fallen soldiers are buried.
The employee, who was unidentified, reported the incident, but ultimately decided not to file charges, according to an Army spokesperson.
But in a statement, the Army also pushed back on the Trump campaign response to the incident, in which a campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, said that the employee was “clearly suffering from a mental health episode.”
The Army spokesperson said, “Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside. Consistent with the decorum expected at ANC, this employee acted with professionalism and avoided further disruption.”
The spokesperson said, “This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked. 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.”
Cheung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He has previously denied that there was a physical altercation, and said that the campaign has video that would affirm that account. But that video has not been released. The campaign also has claimed that they had permission to have a photographer present, and posted statements from family members of Afghanistan veterans saying that they gave their OK. The campaign has posted video of Trump’s visit to social media accounts.
Trump was at the cemetery on Monday for a wreath laying and visit to the gravesite to commemorate the anniversary of a terrorist attack during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Thirteen service members were killed during that attack.
PREVIOUSLY: An Arlington National Cemetery official and Trump campaign staffers had an “incident” earlier this week, apparently over the use of a photographer in one of the areas where recent fallen soldiers are buried.
A spokesperson for the cemetery said in a statement, “Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign. Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants. We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed.”
Trump visited the cemetery on Monday to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony and also to visit the gravesite of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover as part of a tribute to those killed in a 2021 attack in Afghanistan as the U.S. was withdrawing forces from the region. In his presidential campaign, Trump has attacked the Biden administration for the chaotic exit.
Trump’s campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said that they had permission to have a photographer at the event. The campaign also posted a statement from family members of fallen soldiers, in which they said that they “had given our approval for President Trump’s official videographer and photographer to attend the event, ensuring these sacred moments of remembrance were respectfully captured and so we can cherish these memories forever.”
NPR first reported on the incident. Cheung said in a statement to the outlet that “the fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony.”
He also told the outlet that they were prepared to release footage of what happened, but has not done so yet.
NPR cited a source who said that the cemetery official tried to prevent campaign staffers from filling in the area, and that only cemetery staff members were authorized to do so. The source told NPR that a verbal and physical altercation then ensued. Cheung denied there was a physical altercation.