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Army releases incident report involving Trump campaign aide at Arlington Cemetery

Army releases incident report involving Trump campaign aide at Arlington Cemetery

The U.S. Army on Friday released a heavily redacted copy of a police report related to an August incident involving former President Donald Trump’s campaign staffer. allegedly pushed worker at Arlington National Cemetery.

The report, which describes the incident as a “simple assault,” said that on Aug. 26, a campaign staffer used “both” hands while attempting to walk past a cemetery worker who NBC News previously reported this. tried to stop the employee from taking photographs. Both people’s names have been redacted.

According to the report, the cemetery worker did not require medical attention at the scene “and later refused when offered.” The worker also did not want to press charges, the report said.

A Trump campaign spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday evening on the Army documents.

An Army spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Politico reported in a statement.: “The law enforcement investigation into the incident remains open and therefore we are unable to provide further information at this time.”

The internal documents were released by the Army after American Oversight, a government ethics and transparency group, sued to obtain the report. Group shared a copy That report on your website after a judge ordered the Defense Department to produce documents.

Trump was at the cemetery on the day of the incident. He took part in a wreath-laying ceremony to mark the third anniversary of the death of 13 US troops in an Islamic State attack near Kabul airport in Afghanistan. Trump later headed to a closed part of the cemetery known as Section 60, where the incident took place.

Arlington National Cemetery released a statement at the time pointing to federal law prohibiting political campaigning or election-related activities at Army National Military Cemeteries, including the use of photographers.

Army representative also said in August that a Trump campaign aide “harshly pushed aside” a cemetery employee who was trying to enforce restrictions on photography and videography in the area. The same spokesman said at the time that the Army considered the matter closed.

Trump campaign spokesman Stephen Cheung previously denied elements of the incident, saying there was “no physical altercation as described” and that an unnamed individual “chose to physically block” members of Trump’s team.

Trump has come under increasing scrutiny on military matters after former White House chief of staff John Kelly told The New York Times in an interview published this week that his former boss fits the “general definition of a fascist,” praised Hitler and questioned the dedication of fallen service members during a 2017 Memorial Day visit to Arlington National Cemetery.

The former president also reportedly said in a private conversation at the White House: “I want generals like Hitler had.” Atlantic.

Trump has denied his remarks reported The Atlantic and told Kelly.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com