'Unfairly attacked': Army defends Arlington Cemetery official who had altercation with Trump staff

U.S. Army officials appeared to indirectly rebuke former President Donald Trump's campaign Thursday for "unfairly" criticizing the professionalism of an Arlington National Cemetery employee who got into an altercation with Trump staffers, and provided new details about the incident.

The cemetery official was "abruptly pushed aside" while trying to enforce rules against political campaign activity at the site, according to a statement by the Army.

The Monday incident was reported to police, but "the employee subsequently decided not to press charges."

"Therefore, the Army considers this matter closed," the statement continues.

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung in a statement to USA TODAY on Wednesday alleged the cemetery official suffered "from a mental health episode."

Trump senior adviser Chris LaCivita also criticized the employee, calling the person a “despicable individual,” according to the New York Times.

While not specifically mentioning Trump's campaign, the Army statement says it's "unfortunate that the (cemetery) employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked."

Arlington National Cemetery "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."

The Army statement also says those involved in Monday's wreath-laying ceremony and visit to Section 60, which contains the graves of recent U.S. casualties, were made aware of federal law, Army regulations and Department of Defense policies that "clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds." Trump's team was photographing and filming at the site.

Cheung said a private photographer "was permitted on the premises" and the cemetery employee "decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony," but disputed that there was a "physical altercation as described" in reporting about the incident.

Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery on the third anniversary of a 2021 attack that killed 13 U.S. service members in Afghanistan. The attack at Abbey Gate outside Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport occurred as the U.S. was withdrawing from the country after two decades of war.

Trump has pointed to the deaths to argue that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris mishandled the troop withdrawal.

Some veterans expressed outrage at the Trump campaigns actions at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army defends Arlington National Cemetery official after Trump incident