A U.S. Army sentinel guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier reprimanded Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and a group of his senior advisers Wednesday after some in the group laughed and talked near the solemn memorial following a Veterans Day ceremony. “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.” the sentinel called out, stopping his patrol to face the group as they departed. Hegseth was standing and taking photos in front of the tomb with his wife, Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser and deputy assistant Tami Radabaugh after the ceremony held at Arlington National Cemetery for Veterans Day. Some in the group were laughing and chatting after taking photos, prompting the soldier patrolling in front of the Tomb to yell out and correct them. When asked for comment, Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the “soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.” “The Secretary and the entire Department have always honored—and will always honour—the sacrifices our military men and women have made to keep America safe. While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum,” Parnell said. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the most sacred war memorials in the U.S., marking the final resting place of an unknown soldier who was killed in the First World War. A soldier assigned to The Old Guard, or 3rd Infantry Regiment, has been guarding the tomb around the clock, rain or shine, since 1948. Foreign dignitaries, presidents, public figures and politicians frequently visit the Tomb to pay their respects to American service members. Hegseth and his team were at Arlington National Cemetery for a ceremony that was also attended by U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The defence secretary had been under renewed scrutiny and pressure in recent days after articles of impeachment were filed against him by outgoing GOP Rep. Thomas Massie. But in a procedural vote on Tuesday night, the GOP successfully blocked the impeachment process from moving forward, prompting Hegseth and his allies to claim vindication. Hegseth stood accused by Massie of executing unlawful orders, including by waging war in Iran without congressional approval, ignoring laws about minimizing civilian casualties, and directing the Pentagon to carry out extrajudicial killings. In a press conference on Tuesday, Hegseth said the charges amounted to a policy dispute and not high crimes and misdemeanors. Trump, who also faced criticism for behavior at Arlington National Cemetery when he filmed a campaign video there in 2024, stood by Hegseth leading up to Tuesday’s vote and vowed to continue supporting him moving forward.
