Defense Secretary Hegseth reprimanded by Tomb sentinel for laughing during Veterans Day visit
A sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier scolded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his staff after they were heard laughing near the memorial following a Veterans Day ceremony.
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 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.
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.
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.