Redacted Trump-Arlington cemetery incident report suggests investigation ongoing

Heavily redacted records obtained by nan non-partisan watchdog statement American Oversight propose that nan altercation betwixt an Arlington National Cemetery worker and members of Donald Trump's run successful August remains under progressive investigation.

ABC News was first to get a transcript of nan records secured by American Oversight connected Friday. But what nan Army turned complete reveals almost thing of constituent astir nan confrontation that occurred astatine nan nation's largest subject cemetery.

A lengthy affidavit is wholly redacted, isolated from for this little summary of nan events that unfolded:

"While moving astatine nan Arlington National Cemetery, [REDACTED] pinch some of [REDACTED] hands while attempting to move past [REDACTED] did not require aesculapian attraction connected segment and later refused erstwhile offered. [REDACTED] rendered a sworn connection connected a DA Form 2023 and stated [REDACTED] did not want to property charges," nan affidavit reads.

Perhaps nan astir notable revelation is nan Army's rationale for redacting nan incident report: In a missive to American Oversight accompanying nan redacted incident report, nan Army wrote overmuch of nan archive should beryllium redacted successful portion because nan accusation whitethorn beryllium applicable to an ongoing investigation.

Republican statesmanlike nominee, erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump looks connected during a wreath laying ceremonial astatine nan Tomb of nan Unknown Soldier astatine Arlington National Cemetery connected Aug. 26, 2024 successful Arlington, Va.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images, FILE

"We're pleased that American Oversight was capable to get nan study into nan hands of nan American nationalist truthful they tin spot for themselves that location is still an ongoing national rule enforcement investigation into nan incident astatine Arlington National Cemetery successful August," said Chioma Chukwu, American Oversight's Interim executive director.

"The alleged behaviour of nan erstwhile president and his unit aligns pinch his history of politicizing nan subject and violating clear ethical boundaries, and it's clip for nan nationalist to person each nan facts," Chukwu continued. "American Oversight will beryllium intimately reviewing nan redactions and continuing our conflict to get accusation to nan people."

The missive besides suggests that definite redactions were made to protect nan cemetery staffer's privacy.

The August incident engulfed nan storied cemetery successful a governmental firestorm. Reports of an altercation first emerged precocious August, aft Donald Trump visited nan hallowed funeral crushed to be a wreath-laying ceremonial to people nan 3rd day of nan deaths of 13 American work members successful Afghanistan.

Members of Trump's run filmed successful a portion of nan cemetery known arsenic Section 60, wherever precocious fallen work members are buried, contempt a national rule prohibiting governmental campaigns from utilizing nan grounds for election-related activities.

When a cemetery unit personnel confronted members of Trump's campaign, a verbal and beingness altercation ensued, ABC News reported astatine nan time.

The Army issued a connection saying a cemetery staffer was "abruptly pushed aside" and her professionalism "unfairly attacked" while moving to enforce nan rules.

The Trump run countered that their staffers had done thing incorrect and threatened to merchandise exculpatory footage of nan altercation, but ne'er did.

American Oversight sued nan Army for an incident study related to nan incident successful precocious August, arguing that "these records beryllium to nan public," according to Chukwu.

On Monday, U.S. Judge Paul Friedman ordered nan Army to move complete immoderate applicable and non-exempt portions of nan archive to nan watchdog group by Friday.