A sentinel told the group to keep silent and show respect after the defence secretary and his staff were heard laughing at Arlington. The Pentagon said the soldier “correctly and respectfully” reminded everyone to maintain decorum.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and members of his team were told off by a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier after laughter was heard from the group at Arlington National Cemetery. The incident happened on Wednesday, after a Veterans Day ceremony. Mr Hegseth, his wife Jennifer and chief of staff Ricky Buria were among a party of Pentagon officials who had been taking photographs at the tomb. As they walked away, the sentinel called out: “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!”
What happened at the tomb
The sentinel was wearing the ceremonial uniform of the Army’s “Old Guard” and carrying an M14 rifle. He was pacing in front of the tomb, as guards do, when he turned and addressed the group. Once he had spoken, he turned back and carried on along his usual route beside the memorial.
The Pentagon’s chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, gave a statement to the Daily Mail. “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,” he said. “While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.”
What the footage shows
According to the Washington Post, its examination of the footage found that Mr Hegseth appeared to make a gesture towards the sentinel before moving out of the camera’s view. The report does not say what the gesture meant. The newspaper sought a response from the 3rd US Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, whose spokesperson had not replied when it published. The Post also embedded C-SPAN’s video of the exchange.
CNN named two more people in the party: deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh. It reported audible laughter from someone in the group but did not establish that Mr Hegseth himself laughed. The footage shows the group being reprimanded and does not identify who was responsible.
The Army’s rules for the tomb
An official US Army interview with a sentinel, Winget, says guards issue warnings an average of two or three times a day. Most cases, the sentinel said, involve visitors who are unaware of the expected standards and are not trying to show disrespect. Arlington National Cemetery’s published rules require all visitors to speak quietly and not disturb others, and contain no exception for senior officials.
Soldiers volunteer to guard the tomb and must complete intensive training and examinations first. Sentinels follow a 21-step routine, walking 21 steps, turning and pausing for 21 seconds, a number that symbolises the 21-gun salute. According to the cemetery, soldiers began guarding the tomb by day in 1926, and round-the-clock protection began in 1937. The Old Guard took over the duty in 1948.
A difficult week for Hegseth
The episode followed a House vote on Tuesday that blocked an immediate impeachment effort against Mr Hegseth. Lawmakers voted 211 to 204 to refer eight articles of impeachment to the House Judiciary Committee, which stopped an immediate vote on removing him, Reuters reported. The decision was procedural and is not a finding on the allegations.
The articles were introduced by a Republican, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who was the only Republican to vote against the referral. Eleven Democrats did not take part. The resolution accused Mr Hegseth of unlawful action over the Iran war, military operations in Yemen, strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and the capture of Venezuela’s president, according to Reuters and Stars and Stripes. Mr Hegseth denies wrongdoing and says the operations were lawful.
At a Pentagon news conference on 10 November, he argued that the accusations amounted to an attack on American service members and their wartime achievements, and described the effort as political sabotage, the Associated Press reported. Democrats, who are due to take control of Congress after the midterms, have indicated that efforts to hold him to account could resume. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said lawmakers would look at the issue again, according to the AP and Reuters. A fresh attempt could come in January 2027.
Trump’s praise at the ceremony
President Donald Trump defended Mr Hegseth in his speech at Arlington on Wednesday, telling the crowd that the defence secretary had done a “fantastic job”, The Guardian reported in its live coverage. The remarks drew applause. They followed the previous day’s vote and were not a response to the sentinel incident. The president suggested he had expected applause for Mr Hegseth and praised his work protecting service members.
According to Heartlander News, First Lady Melania Trump, Second Lady Usha Vance, Attorney General Todd Blanche and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins also attended the observance.
Other Arlington disputes
The Washington Post reported that during a visit by Mr Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign to Section 60, a burial area for recently killed service members, campaign staff were reportedly confronted by a cemetery official over restrictions on political photography. It also reported that images from the visit later appeared in campaign materials. Separately, the administration’s proposed 250ft arch near the cemetery entrance faces a legal challenge. The Post’s examination of the design found it could cast shadows over as many as 75,000 graves.
