House Dems Seek Army Report on Arlington Incident with Trump Staff

Democratic lawmakers from the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to the U.S. Army on Friday, seeking a detailed report regarding an incident that occurred earlier in the week. This event involved a staff member from Arlington National Cemetery and members of former President Donald Trump’s campaign who were present with their own photographers.

Representative Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland and the committee’s ranking member, expressed his hope for a thorough account of the incident in his letter to Army Secretary Christine Wormuth.

The situation arose during Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where he participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This ceremony commemorated the third anniversary of the Kabul suicide bombing, a tragic event that took the lives of 13 service members amid the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

The altercation reportedly took place when Trump’s campaign team attempted to bring their photographers into Section 60 of the cemetery, an area designated for veterans of recent conflicts, including the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

While the precise details surrounding the confrontation remain unclear, an Army spokesperson stated that the cemetery employee was “abruptly pushed aside” during the event. The spokesperson added that it was “unfortunate” that the employee’s professionalism faced unfair scrutiny.

Arlington National Cemetery reiterated in a statement that federal law strictly forbids any political campaign or election-related activities within its premises, including those involving photographers or content creators who support partisan political campaigns.

In his correspondence, Raskin pointed out that it seemed the Trump campaign had ignored Arlington’s strict prohibition on political activities. He referenced the cemetery’s guidelines, which categorically prohibit “filming for partisan, political, or fundraising purposes” in accordance with the Hatch Act.

Defense officials previously informed reporters that some members of the Trump campaign behaved unprofessionally and displayed aggressive tactics—both verbally and physically—toward the cemetery employee during the incident.

The Army spokesperson clarified that Arlington National Cemetery conducts nearly 3,000 public ceremonies each year without incident. During the August 26 ceremony and the visit to Section 60, attendees were briefed on federal laws, Army regulations, and Department of Defense policies that clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds.

In response, the Trump campaign has asserted that they had obtained explicit permission from Gold Star families to bring designated media to the event. Messages reviewed by reporters confirmed this assertion.

A spokesperson for the Trump campaign also refuted claims of any physical altercation, stating they are ready to produce footage if defamatory allegations are made.

Raskin raised the issue of an apology issued by Utah Governor Spencer Cox, who was present at the ceremony with Trump and posted numerous photos of the event on his official social media accounts. Cox indicated in a social media post that “This was not a campaign event and was never intended to be used by the campaign.” He acknowledged that his posting did not follow proper channels and stated that his campaign would issue an apology.

In his letter, Raskin requested the Army to provide an “incident report” and a subsequent briefing. He also asked that Wormuth respond by September 9, indicating the committee’s desire for clarity on the events that transpired.