Democrats Demand Answers Over Alleged Trump Campaign Incident at Arlington National Cemetery
Brendan McDermid | Reuters
Democratic leaders are expressing frustration with the U.S. Army for failing to produce an incident report about an alleged altercation involving Donald Trump’s campaign at Arlington National Cemetery. The incident reportedly occurred after cemetery officials told Trump campaign staffers they were not permitted to take photos or videos of soldiers’ graves from Iraq and Afghanistan.
A Democratic aide revealed that officials have been requesting the report for nearly two weeks, according to a report by Greg Sargent of The New Republic on Tuesday. Lawmakers are also pushing for a detailed account of what was communicated to Trump’s staff before the altercation unfolded.
“Three senior House Democrats—Representatives Adam Smith, Jamie Raskin, and Mark Takano—are set to release a new statement Tuesday that increases the pressure on the Army for more information,” Sargent reported. The Democrats emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “The alleged assault of an Arlington staff member by Trump campaign staff requires a strong official response.”
The lawmakers’ statement continued, criticizing the delay in investigating the incident. “The failure to properly investigate this egregious incident in a timely manner and hold violators accountable undermines the integrity and honor of Arlington National Cemetery and erodes norms requiring nonpartisanship in the military.” The Democratic representatives urged the U.S. Army to “immediately provide information regarding how the event was coordinated.”
In response, the U.S. Army issued a statement noting that the Trump campaign had been “made aware” of the laws that “clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds.” Despite the Army’s acknowledgment of the rules, the incident remains unresolved, and no official report has been released to address the altercation.
The Trump campaign, however, denies that any altercation took place, maintaining that the reports are unfounded. As pressure mounts from Democratic leaders, the lack of clarity over the situation continues to fuel concerns about political interference and respect for military traditions at Arlington National Cemetery.
