Army says Arlington National Cemetery worker was 'pushed aside' by Trump aides
Category: News & Politics
Via: hallux • 3 months ago • 22 commentsBy: Stephen Fowler, Quil Lawrence, Tom Bowman - NPR
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The U.S. Army said an employee at Arlington National Cemetery who tried to "ensure adherence" to rules that prohibit political activities at the cemetery "was abruptly pushed aside," but that the employee decided not to press charges against the Trump campaign staffers who allegedly pushed her.
The statement Thursday comes in response to NPR's reporting on former President Donald Trump's visit to Arlington and an altercation his staff had with a cemetery employee.
"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," the statement said. "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."
The Army, in its statement, called the incident "unfortunate," adding: "it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked."
The statement comes a day after Trump shared a TikTok video including footage from Arlington National Cemetery that likely violates a federal law against using military cemeteries for campaigning purposes.
NPR reported Trump campaign staffers had a physical altercation with an Arlington National Cemetery staffer on Monday over the restriction.
It’s not the first time Trump has been accused of politicizing the military, but the campaign is seeking to downplay what happened in the aftermath.
Trump was at Arlington Monday to commemorate the third anniversary of an attack in Afghanistan that killed 13 U.S. servicemembers amidst the disastrous withdrawal of troops. Trump and other Republicans have blamed President Biden and Vice President Harris for the chaos and loss of life.
The 21-second video shows Trump laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and several snippets of Trump joining Gold Star family members at gravesites of their loved ones in a part of the cemetery known as Section 60 .
“We lost 13 great great people, what a horrible day it was,” Trump says over somber music. “We didn’t lose one person in 18 months and then they took over the disaster, the leaving of Afghanistan.”
But the Trump campaign was not authorized to film or photograph in Section 60, federal law prohibits the use of military cemeteries for campaign events, and two campaign staffers got in a physical and verbal altercation with the Arlington staffer that tried to prevent the filming.
In a statement after NPR’s original story, family members present Monday said they invited Trump and gave approval for his photographer and videographer to document an emotional moment of remembrance.
Some of those family members also spoke at the Republican National Convention, bashing Biden and vocally endorsing Trump.
“Joe Biden may have forgotten that our children died, but we have not forgotten, Donald Trump has not forgotten,” said Cheryl Juels in Milwaukee at the RNC in July. Juels is the aunt of Sgt. Nicole Gee, one of the 13 killed at Abbey Gate in 2021.
“Joe Biden owes the men and women that served in Afghanistan a debt of gratitude and an apology. Donald Trump loves this country and will never forget the sacrifice and bravery of our service members," she added. "Join us in putting him back in the White House.”
Though the loved ones said they were OK with the cameras present, the families do not have the power to suspend the rules.
NPR has also learned the family of a Green Beret who died by suicide, whose headstone is visible in pictures and videos posted by the campaign, did not give permission to be included.
The Trump campaign responds
In the aftermath of the visit to Arlington, the Trump campaign response has taken on a tone of nastiness. One spokesman said the cemetery staffer was “clearly suffering from a mental health episode,” promising to release footage of the encounter but so far declining to do so.
On the campaign trail in Pennsylvania Wednesday, the Republican vice presidential nominee, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, said Harris could “go to hell” over the Afghanistan withdrawal and blamed reporters for the campaign’s controversy that he called a “disagreement.”
“You guys in the media, you're acting like Donald Trump filmed a TV commercial at a gravesite,” Vance said. “He was there providing emotional support to a lot of brave Americans who lost loved ones they never should have lost. And there happened to be a camera there, and somebody gave him permission to have that camera there.”
Meanwhile, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who attended the Arlington events with Trump, apologized in a social media post for sending a campaign fundraising email with a photo of him and the former president in Section 60 with the family of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover.
Cox’s official gubernatorial X account posted a photo from the restricted area, and the post is still online.
This is not the first time Trump has been accused of politicizing the military for his personal gain. He’s allegedly called dead soldiers “ suckers and losers ,” insulted the late John McCain for being a prisoner of war and recently stoked controversy for saying civilian Medal of Freedom recipients are much better than those who received the Medal of Honor — the highest military award in the country, often given posthumously.
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Whoever bought John Doe Vance a shovel needs to be assailed for not including depth lessons.
poor jd, a 1 term senator will be the peak of his political career...
Awesome
J D Vance is shallower than this mud puddle...
'pushed aside by trump 'campaign' worker'
typical bully thug DICK move
"The Army, in its statement, called the incident "unfortunate," adding: "it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked."
Soon that employee will be labeled a 'Woke DEI' and reams of sanctimonious crap will backwash into these pages.
So why have Biden and Harris refused to honor those fallen soldiers, and have ignored the relatives?
What is it about Trump's 'shift the blame' game Vance has become the designated ball-carrier for you do not understand?
Can you prove they haven't?
Biden met every member of every family the day the 13 bodies were returned to Dover, half of them are trying to adjust to their lives without their children, and the most vocal, the organizers of the 3rd annual wreath laying, were bitching then and now that either Biden killed them or somehow disrespected them.
They will never change but hopefully someday the emptiness will be more bearable for them. I know their kids would not like them to be this way.
What is the staff member's name?
Why should that be revealed? So she can be attacked and persecuted as a Trump enemy? Her life is now in danger.
Dox Much?
LOL.
Can you imagine?
no
Probably why they're dropping the incident and not pressing any charges against the asshole former 'president' in this two tiered justice system slanted towards Democrats
Sounds like a decent young lady 'abruptly pushed aside' by a former 'president' convicted felon and rapist 'campaign' member.
Typical bully really DICK move
Decent and not pressing charges against the scum photo op campaign stop by the scum former 'president' and his scummy ass kissing butt lickers
As Tacos said - 'it takes a real asshole' to pull a dick move like that
I wouldn't be surprised if there are already death threats, possibly delivered to the cemetery or posted online, even if her identity has not been revealed. They are going to be working hard to try to identify her so they can terrorize her.
Excuse me - my apologies to Tacos - 'a special kind of asshole'
When you think the scumbag can't sink any lower, voila!
Meanwhile, our POTUS sun bathes on the anniversary of his Afghanistan pullout debacle.
Say it ain’t so Joe.
One obnoxious Trump staff member issued a statment saying the cemetery employee "was clearly suffering from a mental health episode". Another wrote that she was “a disgrace and does not deserve to represent the hollowed [sic] grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.” They have clearly marked her for retribution.