news.today
Hello · Register today | LoginHello · My Account[—] [33]
US

Hegseth's group reprimanded for laughter at Tomb of Unknown Soldier

Summarised from 8 outlets · 10 reports · Updated 12 Nov, 01:08 · Archive

An Army sentinel reprimanded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his group for laughing during a Veterans Day visit to Arlington's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

An Army sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery loudly reprimanded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and members of his group on Wednesday for making noise at the site during a Veterans Day visit. The incident occurred as Hegseth, his wife Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh were departing after posing for photographs.

The group had attended a Veterans Day ceremony at the cemetery that was also attended by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who laid wreaths at the memorial. After the formal ceremony, Hegseth's group remained at the site for photographs on the memorial steps.

As they walked away, laughter was audible from someone in the group. This prompted a U.S. Army sentinel guarding the tomb to issue a sharp reprimand, stating: 'All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.' It remains unclear which member of the group laughed, or whether Hegseth himself made any noise.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the most sacred war memorials in the United States, marking the final resting place of an unidentified World War I service member. Sentinels from the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, stand watch at the site continuously and have done so since 1948. The sentinels are known for their strict maintenance of decorum and regularly reprimand visitors for disrupting the atmosphere of silence and respect.

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell responded to the incident in a statement, saying: '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. While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.' Parnell did not indicate whether any repercussions would follow for those involved.

The incident was captured on video and widely reported by media outlets. Hegseth could be seen looking over his shoulder in the direction of the soldier as he continued walking. According to one outlet's reporting, the incident comes during a difficult period for the defense secretary, who narrowly avoided an impeachment vote in the House on Tuesday when Republican lawmakers moved to send articles of impeachment to committee rather than hold a vote.

Hegseth's group reprimanded for laughter at Tomb of Unknown Soldier
Image: New York Post

Comments (0)

How it is being reported

In this story: Pete Hegseth · Jennifer Hegseth · Ricky Buria · Patrick Weaver · Tami Radabaugh · Donald Trump · JD Vance · Arlington National Cemetery

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log