A soldier guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier verbally reprimanded a group of defense secretary advisors following a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, the Associated Press reported.
Video footage shows Pete Hegseth taking photographs on the empty steps outside the tomb alongside his wife and three staff members. As the group finished taking pictures, loud laughter prompted the sentry to scold them aloud for failing to maintain a silent and respectful atmosphere.
Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell defended the interaction in a public statement. “While they were marking this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded those in attendance to keep the proper tone,” Parnell said, according to the Associated Press. The spokesperson added that the department always honors the sacrifices made by service members.
Hegseth and his team visited the military memorial as part of broader Veterans Day events that included President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The tomb holds the remains of unidentified service members from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.
The incident occurred less than 24 hours after Hegseth narrowly avoided impeachment proceedings initiated by congressional lawmakers, the Associated Press recalled. Representative Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Wisconsin, argued that the cemetery incident highlights unfitness for office.
“Just a day after narrowly dodging impeachment, he demonstrated contempt for our service members by disrespecting the sanctity of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” Moore wrote on social media, as reported by the Associated Press.
The verbal reprimand occurred at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery following a Veterans Day ceremony.
A soldier guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier issued a verbal reprimand to a group of advisers and staffers with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. As the group broke from taking photos, a loud laugh could be… pic.twitter.com/dIPp8wMGEG
A military sentry guarding the memorial scolded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, his wife, and three members of his staff after loud laughter disrupted the solemn atmosphere.
Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell said that the soldier correctly and respectfully reminded visitors to keep the proper tone during the observance.
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