### Federal Judge Orders US Army to Release Records on Trump’s Controversial Arlington Visit

The US Army must disclose records about former President Donald Trump’s controversial August visit to Arlington National Cemetery by Friday, a federal judge has ruled. The directive follows a lawsuit from American Oversight, a non-partisan watchdog group that requested the information through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

The visit, which took place on August 26, involved Trump accompanying relatives of US troops who died during the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021. Despite the sensitive nature of the event, the cemetery employee enforcing rules against political activity was reportedly "abruptly pushed aside", sparking criticism and a subsequent report to the police. Ultimately, no charges were pressed, and the Army declared the matter resolved.

American Oversight's FOIA request sought records detailing interactions between Trump campaign staff and the cemetery employee. Senior Judge Paul Friedman of the US District Court in Washington, D.C., signed the order on Tuesday, mandating the Army to release "responsive, non-exempt records" by October 25.

The interim executive director of American Oversight, Chioma Chukwu, emphasized the importance of transparency given the upcoming presidential election. "The American people have a clear and compelling interest in knowing how the government responded to an alleged incident involving a major presidential candidate who has a history of politicizing the military," Chukwu said.

The incident drew backlash from veteran organizations, who deemed Trump’s visit and the subsequent campaign materials as inappropriate politicization of Arlington National Cemetery, particularly Section 60, reserved for those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Although the Gold Star families attending the event had approved Trump's videographer and photographer, the campaign released images that included graves of other service members without their families' consent.

Trump’s campaign manager Chris LaCivita labeled the incident as disgraceful and claimed that the employee had tried to physically block the team from the solemn event, asserting that they were dishonoring the armed forces. The Trump campaign later posted a video on TikTok depicting Trump at the cemetery while criticizing President Joe Biden’s administration over the Afghanistan withdrawal.

In response, the US Army highlighted the non-compliance with federal laws prohibiting political activities in the cemetery. An Army spokesperson reiterated the significance of Arlington National Cemetery as a solemn site deserving of dignity and respect.

With the court’s order, stakeholders await the release of the incident report to gain further insight into the event, which has become a point of contention as the election approaches.