Army completely redacts statement about incident at Trump campaign headquarters in Arlington

The U.S. Army on Friday released a heavily redacted report on an incident at Arlington National Cemetery involving a Trump campaign staffer and aides when the former president visited the cemetery in August.

The nonpartisan watchdog group American Oversight received copy of the reportwhich provides very few details about the incident. It classifies the crime in question as “simple assault” and offers a partially redacted description of what allegedly happened.

“While working at Arlington National Cemetery, (REDACTED) using both (REDACTED) hands while attempting to pass by (REDACTED) did not require medical attention at the scene and later refused when offered. (REDACTED) provided an affidavit on Form DA 2023 and stated that (REDACTED) did not wish to press charges,” the report states.

But the entire statement about what happened from the cemetery worker has been redacted.

On Aug. 26, Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery for a ceremony marking the anniversary of the Kabul airport attack that killed 13 U.S. troops during the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

NPR, citing an anonymous source, first a cemetery spokesman said tried to stop Trump staffers from filming and photographing at a cemetery where soldiers recently killed in Afghanistan and Iraq, known as Section 60, are buried. A source told NPR that Trump staffers pushed the official away as they tried to prevent campaign officials from entering the compound.

Trump campaign accused the cemetery worker for the incident and accused them of having a “mental health episode” and attempting to “physically block members of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony.”

The army itself weighed to defend the employee’s actions by saying they were trying to enforce rules prohibiting political activity in the cemetery grounds when they were pushed away.

“Consistent with the decorum expected at the (cemetery), the employee acted professionally and avoided further misconduct,” the official said, adding that the incident was reported to police, but “the employee subsequently decided not to press charges.”

The Army said it now “considers this matter closed.”

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