US Army Rebukes Trump Campaign Over Arlington Cemetery Incident

Rare statement confirms Trump team was warned -- and physical altercation occurred

In a rare and perhaps unprecedented move, the U.S. Army on Thursday officially rebuked the Trump campaign in a formal statement over the incident in Arlington National Cemetery that has captured headlines for three days. The official US Army statement reads in part: “Arlington National Cemetery routinely hosts public wreath laying ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for individuals and groups who submit requests in advance. ANC conducts nearly 3,000 such public ceremonies a year without incident. 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.”

Trump then promptly posted a clearly political video of the visit to section 60 on Tiktok, using it to attack the Biden-Harris, boasting “we didn’t lose a man in 18 months” until Biden-Harris “took over the disaster.”

Meanwhile, new details emerged about the incident:

• Advance Warning Ignored: The Trump campaign was specifically warned that no photography or video would be allowed in Section 60, despite their claim of being invited by Gold Star families.

• Assault on Female Employee: The employee who tried to enforce these rules was a woman who was physically pushed aside by Trump’s team.

• Trump Campaign’s Response: Trump campaign officials, including Chris LaCivita and Steven Cheung, responded with derogatory comments, accusing the employee of having a “mental health episode” and calling her actions a “disgrace.”

• Physical Aspect Confirmed: The Army confirmed there was a physical altercation, and the employee chose not to press charges.

Does Any of This Matter?

Maybe. At a minimum, this incident is part of a troubling pattern where Donald Trump finds ways to insult the military. Moreover, the derogatory comments by LaCivita and Cheung, directed at a female cemetery employee, reflect a disregard for those who uphold the dignity of military traditions. Although the employee had the option to press charges for assault, she chose not to.. The Army’s confirmation of the physical altercation adds weight to the seriousness of this incident. Will it matter to anyone? Trump has always enjoyed broad support in the military and no doubt will continue to do so, but each time he conjures up a new way to insult the military, it seems likely that he’s not gaining new followers and almost certainly is losing a few.

To the rest of us — it’s just another confirmation of the degree to which Trump is unfit for office. But then we already knew that, didn’t we?

Here is the full text of the Army’s Official Statement:

Arlington National Cemetery routinely hosts public wreath laying ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for individuals and groups who submit requests in advance. ANC conducts nearly 3,000 such public ceremonies a year without incident.

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 incident was reported to the JBM-HH police department, but the employee subsequently decided not to press charges. Therefore, the Army considers this matter closed.

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.