A sentry from the United States Army reprimanded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his entourage during a visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington on Veterans Day, after the group was caught laughing and talking loudly in front of the monument.
The incident occurred while Hegseth, his wife Jennifer, and several of his key collaborators —chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver, and senior advisor Tami Radabaugh— were posing for photographs in front of the grave, just minutes after President Donald Trump participated in the annual ceremony of laying a wreath in honor of fallen soldiers.
When the group began to ascend the stairs, a soldier from the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Army ("The Old Guard") shouted a warning: "All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times."
Hegseth made no gesture of acknowledgment in response to the reprimand: he simply glanced over his shoulder and continued walking without stopping.
The video of the episode, originally broadcasted by CNN, spread rapidly on social media and garnered millions of views in just a few hours.
The Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, addressed the criticisms with a statement defending the Secretary's conduct and acknowledging the sentinel's actions: "The Secretary and the entire Department have always honored — and will always honor — the sacrifices of our military to keep America safe. While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain the solemnity."
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, inaugurated on November 11, 1921, with the burial of an unidentified combatant from World War I, is one of the most revered military monuments in the country.
Since 1937, soldiers of "The Old Guard" have been guarding it continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with the authority to verbally reprimand any visitor who disturbs the solemnity of the place.
The episode occurred at a particularly sensitive moment for Hegseth: just a day earlier, the House of Representatives blocked by 211-204 an impeachment attempt led by Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who presented eight charges related to military operations in Iran, Venezuela, and Yemen.
Hegseth had described that process as a "political spectacle," and Trump publicly endorsed him during his own Veterans Day speech at Arlington Memorial Amphitheater, where he stated that the secretary had done "a fantastic job."
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