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Hegseth Reprimanded at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Confirmed
In Short: During a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his staff were reprimanded by a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Hegseth and group reprimanded by Arlington Cemetery guard. WCNC
Video footage shows Hegseth taking photos with his wife Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver, and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh on the empty steps in front of the tomb.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that the soldier acted correctly in reminding the group to adhere to the decorum expected at the tomb.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a memorial to unidentified service members killed in battle, is considered one of the most solemn and revered war memorials in the U.S.
The incident occurred shortly after the Republican-led House narrowly avoided impeaching Hegseth.
Hegseth had previously rebuked efforts to impeach him, arguing that Rep. Massie's accusations were unfounded and that attacking him was tantamount to attacking U.S. Troops.
Rep. Gwen Moore criticized Hegseth's behavior, stating that it demonstrated his lack of fitness for office.
The guard's reprimand came as Hegseth and his entourage were taking posed photographs and laughing near the tomb.
The 3rd Infantry Regiment, also known as “The Old Guard,” has stood watch over the tomb 24 hours a day since 1948, with an elaborate changing of the guard ceremony happening at least once every hour.
The incident highlights the strict decorum expected at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where visitors are expected to maintain silence and respect at all times.
While Hegseth's critics were not successful in Tuesday's vote to impeach him, Republicans may have only delayed efforts to remove him from office.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorializes deceased American service members from World War I and later conflicts whose remains were never identified.
Chadwick Winget, a sentinel who guards the tomb, said in a 2022 Army interview that sentinels react to the crowd two or three times per day.
What this adds
The incident occurred on the eve of Veterans Day, adding to the controversy surrounding Hegseth's tenure as Defense Secretary.
What's confirmed
- Video shows Hegseth taking photos with his wife and staff, followed by laughter, prompting the guard to remind them to maintain silence and respect.
- A soldier guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier reprimanded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his staff for breaking decorum after a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.
- Massie accused Hegseth of unlawful actions in Iran, but Hegseth denied wrongdoing and argued that attacking him was tantamount to attacking U.S. troops.
- Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the soldier acted correctly.
- Video shows Hegseth taking photos on the empty steps in front of the tomb with his wife, Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh.
- President Donald Trump stands in silence after laying a wreath during a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on National Veterans Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Wednesday, Nov.
- Meanwhile, Hegseth rebuked the effort Tuesday in his first news conference in months, portraying Massie as a rogue lawmaker and arguing he had committed none of the high crimes required in the Constitution for his removal.
- “On the eve of Veterans Day, these resolutions tell every one of them that their service was a crime,” Hegseth said on Tuesday morning.
- The tomb is considered one of the most solemn and revered war memorials in the U.S.
What's still developing
- The Republican-led House voted 211-204 to shelf the resolution.
- Pete Hegseth was in a celebratory mood after Republicans successfully blocked his impeachment in the House of Representatives on Tuesday night, gloating with Donald Trump about the failed effort to boot him from the Pentagon.
- The following day called for a more solemn demeanor, however, as Hegseth and Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate Veterans Day.
- Members of an entourage traveling with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were publicly called out for laughing and taking selfies during a Veterans Day visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
- Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina called his confirmation vote "the biggest regret" of his career and warned that Hegseth faced "a reckoning," citing his role in blocking a $70 billion defense funding request.
- A “blacked out” vehicle idling at 1 a.m. prompted a Killeen Police Department officer to conduct a traffic stop that led to the confiscation of 24 grams of meth along with an unknown quantity of cocaine, pills, marijuana and another THC product, police said.
- November 11, 2026 / 4:13 PM EST / CBS News Washington — A guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday loudly reprimanded a group of people that included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for making noise at the site.
- The sentinels who march in front of the tomb for 24 hours a day — a prestigious posting within the Army — are a well-known presence at the cemetery, famous for their guard-changing ceremony.