Hegseth and staff reprimanded by guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
[November 12, 2026]
By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN
WASHINGTON (AP) — 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.
Video shows 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.”
“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,” he added.
The tomb is considered to be one of the most solemn and revered war
memorials in the U.S., being the final resting place of unidentified
soldiers from World War I, World War II and the Korean War. It has been
guarded around the clock — rain or shine — by a soldier from the Army’s
3rd Infantry Regiment, also known as “The Old Guard," since 1948.
Hegseth and his staff were at the tomb as part of a larger ceremony
commemorating Veterans Day that also was attended by President Donald
Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
The incident comes a day after Hegseth narrowly survived an effort to
impeach him by lawmakers in Congress.
The effort was led by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and backed by
Democrats. However, while Hegseth's critics were not successful in
Tuesday's vote, Republicans may have only delayed efforts to impeach the
defense secretary. With Democrats set to take control of the House and
Senate in January, those efforts are likely to be renewed.
Hegseth rebuked the effort Tuesday in his first news conference in
months, arguing that 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 U.S. military were tantamount to an
indictment against the nation’s service members and their successes.
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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, right, and his wife Jennifer
Rauchet attend a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on
National Veterans Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery in
Arlington, Va., Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark
Schiefelbein)
“On the eve of Veterans Day, these resolutions tell every one of
them that their service was a crime,” Hegseth said Tuesday.
“This is not patriotism,” Hegseth argued. “This is sabotage.”
Following the reprimand at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday,
the reaction from Democrats was swift.
Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., said Hegseth demonstrated “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.
It was not the first time members of Trump's team have caused
controversy at Arlington National Cemetery.
During his campaign for a second term, Trump attended a ceremony in
2024 to honor U.S. forces killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. A
campaign staffer reportedly shoved a cemetery employee trying to
prevent two people from filming and photographing the event.
Trump, who had been invited by troops’ families, later shared a
video on TikTok showing him at the cemetery with a voiceover blaming
the Biden administration for the “disaster” of the Afghanistan
withdrawal.
U.S. law prohibits campaign or election-related activities within
national military cemeteries.
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