Watch: Hegseth's group admonished for laughing at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Guard yells at Hegseth's group for laughing at sacred memorial
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and some of his senior staff were admonished by a guard at Arlington National Cemetery after someone in the group laughed loudly at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
ARLINGTON, Va. - A guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier admonished Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s group for laughing loudly after taking photos at the solemn memorial Wednesday.
The incident happened following a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.
Hegseth at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
What we know:
Video shows the guard, known as a sentinel, yelling loudly at the group to "maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect" after one of the ladies laughed at the tomb.
What we don't know:
It was not immediately clear who among the group was laughing, or why.
What they're saying:
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell responded to FOX Local’s request for comment on the incident with the following statement:
"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. While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum."
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth attends a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery to mark Veterans Day on November 11, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
What is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?
The backstory:
Located in Arlington National Cemetery, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a national tribute to America’s unidentified and missing service members. There are currently three unidentified U.S. service members buried in the tomb: one from World War I, one from World War II and one from the Korean War. It’s guarded by a team of soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as sentinels from "The Old Guard," who take turns making sure the tomb is protected 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They also make sure visitors to the tomb are quiet and respect the sacred memorial.
The sentinels perform a dramatic changing of the guard at the grave site that visitors to the Washington area flock to see, marching 21 steps down the mat, turning and facing east for 21 seconds, then north for 21 seconds and then back down the mat for 21 more, repeating the process.
The number refers to the high military honor of the 21-gun salute, which can be heard booming throughout the cemetery and surrounding areas during military funerals on the grounds.
Massie's Hegseth impeachment effort fails in House
Rep. Massie's impeachment effort failed in the House. Massie filed articles of impeachment on Monday. Those eight articles focused on the Iran war. Hegseth responded by describing the situation as 'sabotage.'
Hegseth impeachment vote blocked
Dig deeper:
The incident comes a day after the House blocked a resolution to impeach Hegseth, halting an effort to remove the Pentagon chief for his conduct in office and his handling of the war in Iran.
After President Donald Trump signaled strong support for Hegseth, GOP lawmakers largely stood by the secretary Tuesday, blocking the effort in a near party-line vote despite the resolution coming from fellow Republican Rep. Thomas Massie.
The Source: This article includes information from Arlington National Cemetery, The Associated Press, Pentagon Press Operations, and previous FOX Local reporting.