The U.S. Army is required to disclose records regarding a visit made by former President Donald Trump to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia in August. This request comes after reports surfaced about an alleged altercation between Trump’s campaign staff and a cemetery official.
Senior Judge Paul Friedman of the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia issued the order on Oct. 22 as part of a lawsuit filed by American Oversight, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. The organization was established in 2017 in response to what it perceives as challenges to democratic ideals and institutions during the Trump administration.
American Oversight submitted a Freedom of Information Act request in August seeking records related to the reported incident between Trump’s campaign staff and the employee. They argued that there was a significant public interest in promptly sharing this information.
In September, American Oversight requested an expedited processing of their request from Arlington, citing the approaching presidential election.
Judge Friedman’s ruling on Oct. 22 mandates that the Army release nonexempt portions of the records concerning the incident by Oct. 25.
Interim executive director of American Oversight, Chioma Chukwu, stated in a post-order statement, “With the election just two weeks away, the American people have a clear and compelling interest in knowing how the government responded to an alleged incident involving a major presidential candidate who has a history of politicizing the military.”
“These records belong to the public, and we’re pleased the court agreed on the need to expedite our request. We look forward to receiving the incident report and making it available to the public,” Chukwu added.
Judge Friedman’s order pertains to Trump’s visit to the military cemetery on Aug. 26, where he participated in a wreath-laying ceremony alongside relatives of service members who died during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Multiple reports suggest that the alleged altercation began when a cemetery official informed the Trump campaign that no photos or videos were allowed. Trump staffers reportedly pushed the official when she attempted to prevent them from entering an area with recently buried service members.
The U.S. Army is responsible for managing Arlington National Cemetery. Following the incident, a spokesperson for the cemetery confirmed that a report had been filed but did not disclose further details.
The spokesperson emphasized federal law that prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army national military cemeteries, including photography and other activities in support of a partisan political candidate.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Army defended the Arlington National Cemetery employee involved in the incident, stating that she acted professionally and was unfairly criticized.
On the other hand, the Trump campaign refuted claims of a physical altercation and maintained that no assault occurred during the event. Family members of fallen soldiers also denied allegations of an altercation between Trump’s team and cemetery staff.
Further comments from the U.S. Army and the Trump campaign are pending. Naveen Athrappully and Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
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