Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and several senior advisers were publicly reprimanded by a US Army sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Wednesday. The incident occurred shortly after a Veterans Day ceremony held at Arlington National Cemetery, which was also attended by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Witnesses observed Hegseth, his wife Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver, and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh taking photographs near the memorial. As the group began to depart, some members were seen laughing and chatting, prompting the sentinel patrolling the tomb to intervene. The soldier halted his patrol to face the group directly, calling out, “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.”
In response to the incident, Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated that the soldier acted correctly and respectfully in reminding the group to maintain decorum. Parnell emphasized that the Department of Defense is committed to honoring the sacrifices of American service members and that the secretary acknowledges the solemnity of the memorial. “The Secretary and the entire Department have always honored—and will always honor—the sacrifices our military men and women have made to keep America safe. Presidents, public figures and politicians frequently visit the Tomb to pay their respects to American service members, foreign dignitaries.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier serves as a final resting place for an unidentified service member killed during World War I and stands as one of the most sacred war memorials in the United States. Since 1948, soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, have maintained a constant, 24-hour guard at the site regardless of weather conditions. Or 3rd Infantry Regiment, has been guarding the tomb around the clock, rain or shine, since 1948, a soldier assigned to The Old Guard.
This event follows a period of heightened political scrutiny for Hegseth, who faced articles of impeachment filed by outgoing Representative Thomas Massie. Massie’s accusations included claims of conducting extrajudicial killings, ignoring civilian casualty protocols, and waging military action in Iran without congressional authorization. Hegseth has dismissed these allegations as matters of policy dispute rather than criminal conduct. On Tuesday night, a GOP-led procedural vote effectively blocked the impeachment process from advancing, which Hegseth’s team characterized as a vindication. According to in a press conference on Tuesday, Hegseth, The charges amounted to a policy dispute and not high crimes and misdemeanors.
President Trump has maintained his public support for the defense secretary throughout these proceedings. This recent focus on behavior at the memorial recalls previous controversies at the site, including criticism directed at the President for his own conduct while filming campaign material at Arlington National Cemetery in 2024. This story has been updated with additional information. 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, president Donald Trump.
