USAupdated 22m ago2 min read
Archive photo · 27 January 2025Pete Hegseth Reprimanded by Army Sentinel for Laughter at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
8 Western Mainstream1 Asian1 Latin American1 Local WesternPhoto: U.S. Department of Defense / US federal government, Public domain · Cropped for layout
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and aides were reprimanded by an Army sentinel. Reprimand occurred after laughing and talking near the memorial during Veterans Day ceremony.
Save coverage image
11 outlets in this story. Read their headlines below.
Reprimand at Arlington
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his wife Jennifer, along with chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh, were reprimanded by an Army sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier after laughter and talking near the memorial during a Veterans Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery. The sentinel shouted that “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,” as the group broke from taking photos on the steps in front of the tomb.
“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.”
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the soldier “correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum,” after the video showed Hegseth and his team laughing and talking. The tomb is guarded around the clock by a soldier from the 3rd Infantry Regiment, also known as “The Old Guard,” and the service member has stood watch since 1948.
Impeachment backdrop
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance attended the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, and Trump said “Under this administration, and it was about time, somebody fought back.” Trump also said “And we won,” and he told the crowd that Hegseth had done a “fantastic job” as defence secretary during the ceremony.
The BBC reported that on Tuesday an effort to impeach Hegseth under accusations that he waged war on Iran without congressional authorisation failed on Capitol Hill, while CNN said a procedural vote on Tuesday night saw Republicans block the impeachment process from moving forward. Hegseth’s allies framed the outcome as vindication, and CNN said Hegseth told a press conference on Tuesday that the charges amounted to a policy dispute and not high crimes and misdemeanors.
What happens next
The incident at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier put Hegseth’s name back in headlines just one day after he narrowly missed impeachment, with NBC News describing the reprimand as coming after the sentinel asked him and his guests to maintain “atmospheric silence and respect.” The Hill reported that Hegseth had for now survived impeachment proceedings in the House and was at Arlington alongside President Trump, Vice President Vance and first lady Melania Trump to mark Veterans Day.
“A federal judge last Thursdayordered a two-week pauseon construction.”
The Hill said the group participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with Trump and Vance following up with remarks, and Trump shouted out that Hegseth was in the crowd to loud applause and cheering. The Hill also said Arlington is at the center of debate surrounding Trump’s proposed triumphal arch, and it reported that a federal judge ordered a two-week pause on construction while a lawsuit sought to prevent the arch’s construction.