Hegseth, staff reprimanded by guard at US military tomb

Updated / Wednesday, 11 Nov 2026 22:41

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A soldier guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier issued a verbal reprimand to a group of advisers and staff members with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth following a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Video shows Mr Hegseth taking photos on the empty steps in front of the tomb with his wife Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh.

As the group broke from taking photos, a loud laugh could be heard, and the soldier guarding the tomb shouted that "all visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times".

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon's top spokesman, said that "while commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum".

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US Army Sentinel reprimands Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and his staff

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"The secretary and the entire department have always honoured - and will always honour - the sacrifices our military men and women have made to keep America safe," he added.

The tomb is considered one of the most solemn and revered war memorials in the US and it houses the final resting place of unidentified soldiers from the First World War, the Second World War, and the Korean War.

It has been guarded around the clock - rain or shine - by a soldier from the US Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard, since 1948.

Mr Hegseth and his staff were at the tomb as part of a larger ceremony commemorating Veterans Day that was also attended by US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

The incident comes less than a day after Mr Hegseth narrowly survived an effort to impeach him by legislators in Congress yesterday afternoon.

The effort was led by Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie and backed by Democrats.

However, while Mr Hegseth's critics were not successful in yesterday's vote, Republicans may have only delayed efforts to impeach the defence secretary.

With Democrats set to take control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in January, those efforts are likely to be renewed.

Meanwhile, Mr Hegseth rebuked the effort in his first news conference in months, portraying Mr Massie as a rogue legislator and arguing he had committed none of the high crimes required in the constitution for his removal.

A core part of his argument included the assertion that criticisms of him and his handling of the US military were tantamount to an indictment against the nation's service members and their successes.

"On the eve of Veterans Day, these resolutions tell every one of them that their service was a crime," Mr Hegseth said.

"This is not patriotism. This is sabotage," he argued.

The reaction from Democrats was swift.

Shortly after the incident, Representative Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Wisconsin, said the incident showed that Mr Hegseth is demonstrating "his utter lack of fitness for his office".

"One day after narrowly avoiding impeachment, he shows his contempt for our men and women in uniform by disrespecting the sanctity of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," she wrote in a social media post.