Hegseth scolded by Tomb sentinel after brief laugh during Veterans Day visit
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A Tomb of the Unknown Soldier sentinel reminded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his staff to keep silent and respectful after a laugh was heard near the memorial following a Veterans Day ceremony, prompting a swift correction and renewed scrutiny of Capitol critics.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, his wife Jennifer, and senior staff were rebuked by an Army sentinel guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday. After the group posed for photographs, a laugh was heard, prompting the guard to shout, “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.” Hegseth turned toward the tomb as the sentinel continued his walk up the steps.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the department “has always honored – and will always honor – the sacrifices our military men and women have made to keep America safe,” adding that the soldier “correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.” The Pentagon response emphasized respect for the memorial and backed the guard’s enforcement of the rules.
The ceremony was attended by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who laid wreaths and delivered remarks. The tomb, guarded continuously by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment since 1948, is considered one of the nation’s most sacred war memorials, and the standards there are rightly strict.
Staff Sgt. Chadwick Winget, the relief commander of the sentinel detail, noted that visitors occasionally disrupt the calm unintentionally and that sentinels intervene about two or three times per day. “It’s usually just them being oblivious,” he said, describing visitors who talk or laugh without realizing the noise. That reality shows why the sentinels’ vigilance matters and why immediate correction is necessary.
Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger criticized Hegseth on social media, calling the incident “truly abhorrent” and saying the secretary’s behavior was “unbecoming of any visitor to the Tomb.” Kinzinger also praised the sentinel for enforcing the rules.
The episode occurred a day after the House narrowly rejected an impeachment effort against Hegseth, a vote that reflected ongoing political tensions within Congress and the continuing attacks from Hegseth’s opponents.