A soldier guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery issued a verbal reprimand to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his staff following a Veterans Day ceremony on Wednesday. Video showed Hegseth, his wife Jennifer, and several senior aides — including Chief of Staff Ricky Buria, Deputy Chief of Staff Patrick Weaver, and Senior Adviser Tami Radabaugh — taking photos on the empty steps in front of the tomb. As the group moved away, a loud laugh was audible, prompting the sentinel to shout that "all visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times."
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the interaction, stating the soldier "correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum" during the solemn commemoration. Parnell added that the Secretary and the Department "have always honored — and will always honor — the sacrifices our military men and women have made to keep America safe." The tomb, guarded continuously since 1948 by soldiers of the Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, holds unidentified service members from World Wars I and II and the Korean War.
The incident occurred one day after Hegseth narrowly survived an impeachment effort in the House led by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and backed by Democrats. Hegseth defended himself at a Tuesday news conference, arguing critics were indicting service members and calling the effort "sabotage," not patriotism. Following Wednesday's reprimand, Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., said Hegseth demonstrated "his utter lack of fitness for his office" and showed "contempt for our men and women in uniform."
The episode recalled a 2024 campaign incident when a staffer for then-candidate Donald Trump reportedly shoved a cemetery employee attempting to enforce photography rules during a ceremony honoring troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Trump and Vice President JD Vance attended Wednesday's Veterans Day event at Arlington alongside Hegseth.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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