Army issues report on altercation at Arlington cemetery involving Trump camp
The report emerges amid concerns from former Trump administration officials, who caution that the ex-president harbors authoritarian tendencies and aims to deploy the military against his adversaries.
TroibNews 
The Army released a report on Friday detailing a contentious incident from August involving the Trump campaign and an Army staff member at Arlington National Cemetery. According to the heavily redacted document, the campaign staffer made contact with the Army official "with both hands." The report characterizes the event as "simple assault."
This release occurs against a backdrop of renewed scrutiny regarding Trump's treatment of veterans, particularly following comments from former chief of staff John Kelly, who claimed that the former president made disparaging remarks about wounded and fallen troops.
The incident unfolded on August 26 as Army personnel at the cemetery sought to prevent members of Trump's campaign from filming the presidential candidate while he was visiting graves of troops who died in Afghanistan in 2021. Federal law prohibits the use of gravesites for partisan political activities, including filming.
Following a lawsuit from American Oversight, a government watchdog organization, a judge mandated that the Army make the document public by Friday. The Army stated, "The law enforcement investigation into the incident remains open and we are therefore unable to provide further information at this time."
The report's release comes just days before the presidential election and shortly after Kelly's remarks to The New York Times in which he described Trump as someone who “certainly falls into the general definition of fascist.” Trump’s former Defense Secretary Mark Esper echoed concerns during a CNN interview, suggesting that Trump "certainly has those inclinations, and I think it’s something we should be wary about."
Concerns have escalated as former Trump officials express alarm over the former president's threats to leverage the military against his political adversaries. During a recent Fox News interview, Trump discussed how to handle potential disruptions during voting, referring to his political opponents as "the enemy from within." He stated, "We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics. And I think they’re the big — and it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military, because they can’t let that happen."
These comments have stoked apprehensions regarding a potential second Trump term, particularly influenced by his history of praising authoritarian leaders including Vladimir Putin of Russia and Viktor Orban of Hungary. Military officials have been careful in addressing these concerns, but a Defense Department official, speaking anonymously, noted that military leaders would adhere to the law and follow only lawful orders from the president, stating, “It’s not like we’re not going to turn our guns on the American people.”
The unease surrounding this issue was heightened by revelations in Bob Woodward’s new book, “War,” where Mark Milley, a retired four-star general and former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned that Trump is a “fascist to the core” and “the most dangerous person to this country.”
The Arlington incident escalated when families of fallen troops invited Trump to Section 60 of the cemetery, commemorating the three-year anniversary of a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate. During this visit, Trump's entourage engaged in an altercation with a longtime Army civilian employee, who chose not to pursue charges due to fears for her safety stemming from potential backlash from Trump supporters.
At the time, the cemetery confirmed that an “incident” had occurred and emphasized that “federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities” at military cemeteries, including any photography “in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign.” The Army previously stated that the matter was considered closed, defending the staff member as having been "unfairly attacked" by the campaign, with a Trump spokesperson dismissing the employee's conduct as indicative of a “mental health episode.”
While the campaign claimed to possess video evidence supporting their perspective, they have not released it despite multiple requests. Army officials indicated that they had clearly informed the Trump team about federal restrictions on filming at national cemeteries prior to the event.
The chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan, occurring alongside the rapid advance of Taliban forces, has become a focal point for the Trump campaign as they criticize President Joe Biden's handling of the withdrawal, further escalating concerns about Trump's potential authoritarian tendencies and his admiration for strongman leaders.
Peter Feaver, a former National Security Council member under both Democratic and Republican administrations, remarked that while the president has established control over the military, officers are only obligated to follow lawful commands. He emphasized, “You honor civilian control of the military when you make sure the president knows what will be the consequences of the military action he's taking, and not just do whatever the latest idea that occurs to him.” He added, “Civilian control means the president gets what he wants as long as it's lawful, but before that point pushing back on the President is not disloyal.”
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
This release occurs against a backdrop of renewed scrutiny regarding Trump's treatment of veterans, particularly following comments from former chief of staff John Kelly, who claimed that the former president made disparaging remarks about wounded and fallen troops.
The incident unfolded on August 26 as Army personnel at the cemetery sought to prevent members of Trump's campaign from filming the presidential candidate while he was visiting graves of troops who died in Afghanistan in 2021. Federal law prohibits the use of gravesites for partisan political activities, including filming.
Following a lawsuit from American Oversight, a government watchdog organization, a judge mandated that the Army make the document public by Friday. The Army stated, "The law enforcement investigation into the incident remains open and we are therefore unable to provide further information at this time."
The report's release comes just days before the presidential election and shortly after Kelly's remarks to The New York Times in which he described Trump as someone who “certainly falls into the general definition of fascist.” Trump’s former Defense Secretary Mark Esper echoed concerns during a CNN interview, suggesting that Trump "certainly has those inclinations, and I think it’s something we should be wary about."
Concerns have escalated as former Trump officials express alarm over the former president's threats to leverage the military against his political adversaries. During a recent Fox News interview, Trump discussed how to handle potential disruptions during voting, referring to his political opponents as "the enemy from within." He stated, "We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics. And I think they’re the big — and it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military, because they can’t let that happen."
These comments have stoked apprehensions regarding a potential second Trump term, particularly influenced by his history of praising authoritarian leaders including Vladimir Putin of Russia and Viktor Orban of Hungary. Military officials have been careful in addressing these concerns, but a Defense Department official, speaking anonymously, noted that military leaders would adhere to the law and follow only lawful orders from the president, stating, “It’s not like we’re not going to turn our guns on the American people.”
The unease surrounding this issue was heightened by revelations in Bob Woodward’s new book, “War,” where Mark Milley, a retired four-star general and former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned that Trump is a “fascist to the core” and “the most dangerous person to this country.”
The Arlington incident escalated when families of fallen troops invited Trump to Section 60 of the cemetery, commemorating the three-year anniversary of a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate. During this visit, Trump's entourage engaged in an altercation with a longtime Army civilian employee, who chose not to pursue charges due to fears for her safety stemming from potential backlash from Trump supporters.
At the time, the cemetery confirmed that an “incident” had occurred and emphasized that “federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities” at military cemeteries, including any photography “in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign.” The Army previously stated that the matter was considered closed, defending the staff member as having been "unfairly attacked" by the campaign, with a Trump spokesperson dismissing the employee's conduct as indicative of a “mental health episode.”
While the campaign claimed to possess video evidence supporting their perspective, they have not released it despite multiple requests. Army officials indicated that they had clearly informed the Trump team about federal restrictions on filming at national cemeteries prior to the event.
The chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan, occurring alongside the rapid advance of Taliban forces, has become a focal point for the Trump campaign as they criticize President Joe Biden's handling of the withdrawal, further escalating concerns about Trump's potential authoritarian tendencies and his admiration for strongman leaders.
Peter Feaver, a former National Security Council member under both Democratic and Republican administrations, remarked that while the president has established control over the military, officers are only obligated to follow lawful commands. He emphasized, “You honor civilian control of the military when you make sure the president knows what will be the consequences of the military action he's taking, and not just do whatever the latest idea that occurs to him.” He added, “Civilian control means the president gets what he wants as long as it's lawful, but before that point pushing back on the President is not disloyal.”
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
