Hegseth’s Group Reprimanded at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans Day

An Army sentinel guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier publicly admonished a group accompanying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday after laughter and conversation disrupted the quiet at Arlington National Cemetery.

The warning came as the officials departed a photo opportunity following a Veterans Day observance attended by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Video of the incident shows Hegseth posing near the memorial with his wife, Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh. As the group began to leave, a loud laugh could be heard.

The sentinel stopped, faced the visitors and called out: “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.”

The footage does not establish who laughed or whether Hegseth himself made the noise. He looked back toward the guard and continued up the steps.

Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell told CNN, which initially reported the incident, said the soldier “correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum,” adding that Hegseth and the department have always honored military sacrifices.

The exchange was a verbal reprimand, not a formal disciplinary action.

Rules That Apply to Everyone

Arlington’s published visitor etiquette instructs people to speak quietly and avoid disturbing others.

Federal cemetery regulations, under 32 CFR 553.33(c), require all visitors, including those attending official ceremonies, to observe proper decorum and prohibit disrespectful or disorderly conduct.

Correcting disruptive visitors is a routine responsibility of Tomb Guards. In a 2022 Army account, Staff Sgt. Chadwick Winget said sentinels typically address crowds two or three times daily, often because visitors do not recognize how loudly they are speaking.

The distinction Wednesday was the prominence of the event and the visitors, not the soldier’s response. The regulations make no exception for senior civilian or military officials.

A Century of Guarding the Unknown

Wednesday marked 105 years since an unidentified American killed in World War I was interred at Arlington on Nov. 11, 1921. The burial became part of the observance that eventually developed from Armistice Day into Veterans Day.

The Tomb subsequently received unidentified service members from World War II and the Korean War. A Vietnam War unknown was buried there in 1984, then identified through DNA testing as Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Blassie in 1998. That crypt remains empty.

The Army also marked the guard’s centennial in March. Soldiers first stood daytime watch in 1926 to prevent visitors from climbing on the memorial. The watch became continuous in 1937.

Since 1948, members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, have held the assignment. Their specialized training emphasizes precision, discipline and preservation of the memorial’s dignity.

Arlington’s Access Restrictions and Earlier Controversy

Wednesday’s ceremony also took place amid tighter public access to the annual wreath-laying.

Arlington restricted this year’s ceremony at the Tomb to official participants. The separate observance at Memorial Amphitheater remained open to the public.

Arlington faced a more serious dispute in August 2024, when Trump campaign staff clashed with a cemetery employee attempting to enforce restrictions on political filming in Section 60, where troops killed in recent conflicts are buried.

The Army said the employee was pushed aside, while the Trump campaign disputed the allegation. Federal cemetery rulesrestrict partisan political activities at memorial ceremonies.

Political Reactions

The reprimand came one day after the House voted 211-204 to refer an impeachment resolution against Hegseth to committee, effectively blocking it for now.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie’s allegations concern the Iran war, other military operations and alleged abuses of authority, rather than Arlington. Hegseth has rejected the accusations as political disagreements over lawful military actions.

Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) criticized Wednesday’s incident as evidence that Hegseth was unfit for office. Trump, meanwhile, praised Hegseth during the Veterans Day observance, telling attendees that his defense secretary had done a “fantastic job.”

The Pentagon’s acknowledgment that the sentinel acted properly leaves little dispute over the soldier’s conduct. For the troops entrusted with guarding the nation’s unidentified war dead, maintaining the memorial’s solemnity remains an obligation regardless of who approaches it.