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An unnamed Arlington National Cemetery employee has reportedly declined to press charges after an altercation with former President Donald Trump's team over fear of potential retribution from Trump supporters.
The employee tried to stop Trump campaign officials from filming in Section 60, a part of the cemetery largely reserved for servicemembers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, in an attempt to enforce the laws and rules that prevent political activities on the cemetery's hallowed grounds.
An Army spokesperson confirmed an incident happened during Trump's visit to Arlington on Monday. The former president laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers while visiting the cemetery to commemorate the third anniversary of the bombing of Abbey Gate, which killed 13 US servicemembers during the chaotic end of the war in Afghanistan.
"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 spokesperson said in a statement obtained by Business Insider. "An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside."
The employee, the statement continued, has decided not to press charges, "Therefore, the Army considers this matter closed."
The Army's statement also noted the employee acted "with professionalism." The Trump campaign had previously accused her of having a "mental health episode" and called her "despicable."
At issue is the Trump campaign's decision to film and capture photographs of his visit to Section 60. His campaign also published a TikTok of him posing in front of headstones. Some marked the graves of service members killed during the Abbey Gate bombing, but due to the close proximity of the graves, at least one other belonged to a service member whose family had not granted permission to the Trump campaign.
According to The Times, Relatives of Master Sgt. Andrew Marckesano, whose gravesite was captured in photos Trump's team released, confirmed they had not granted permission to the former president's team.
Relatives of Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover and Sgt. Nicole Gee, both of whom were killed during the Abbey Gate bombing, said they had given permission to the Trump campaign to attend the event. Marine Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews (Ret.) and Marine Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart (Ret.), who accompanied Trump while laying the wreath, also signed on to the statement.
"We 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 so we can cherish these memories forever," they said in a statement released by Trump's campaign.
One of the laws in question requires the executive director of the Army National Military Cemeteries, of which Arlington is the most famous, to make sure that memorial services and ceremonies "not include partisan political activities." Arlington's own media guidelines say "filming or photographing will not be permitted if it conveys the impression that cemetery officials or any visitor or family member is endorsing any product, service or organization."
The policy further imposes restrictions on political campaigning, citing the Hatch Act, a law that limits federal employees from engaging in political activities, along with other statutes.
In statements to the media, the Trump campaign has denied that there was a physical confrontation. Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesperson, told NPR, who broke the news of the incident, that the former president's campaign would release footage supporting their version of events. But thus far, they have not done so. Cheung also told NPR that the unnamed employee was "clearly suffering from a mental health episode."
The Army has strongly pushed back on those attacks.
"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."
VoteVets, an organization that supports Democratic veterans for public office, blasted Trump's campaign for lashing out at the Arlington employee.
"Donald Trump's blatant disrespect for those laid to rest at Arlington has now devolved into a full-on war against Arlington National Cemetery, with the cemetery needing to defend its staff from disgusting attacks from the Trump-Vance campaign," the organization said.
The incident has once again brought to light Trump's past attacks on some veterans.
As a 2016 presidential hopeful and later after his election, Trump repeatedly mocked Sen. John McCain of Arizona for being captured and imprisoned. Former White House chief of staff John Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, has also publicly claimed that Trump told staffers that he did not want to visit a French cemetery where US servicemembers killed during WWI are buried because they were "suckers" for being killed. Trump and his campaign have long disputed the suckers remark.
Most recently, Trump earned the ire of multiple veterans groups by suggesting that the civilian Presidential Medal of Freedom was "better" than the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award.
Ryan Pickrell contributed to this report.
