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Army guard scolds Defense Secretary Hegseth's group after laughter near Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell says the soldier "correctly and respectfully" reminded everyone to keep decorum, one day after Hegseth survived an impeachment effort in the House.

Pete Hegseth in 2025
Pete Hegseth in 2025. Photo: U.S. Department of Defense, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
25 news outlets reported this
Liberal11 outletsThe reprimand set against the impeachment fightCenter10 outletsThe guard's rebuke and Democratic reactionConservative4 outletsHegseth's impeachment defense, with the tomb rebuke
ABRAnews EditorialPublished 1 min read
Overview

An Army sentinel guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery loudly reprimanded a group that included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day. The group had posed for photos at the tomb after a wreath-laying ceremony that President Trump attended. As they walked away, laughter was heard, and the sentinel called out: "All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times."

Video shows the group also included Hegseth's wife, Jennifer, and three of his senior aides: Ricky Buria, Patrick Weaver and Tami Radabaugh. CBS News says it's uncertain who laughed, or whether Hegseth made any sound. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that a soldier "correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum."

The incident came one day after voted 211-204 to send an resolution against Hegseth to committee, which effectively killed it, according to MS NOW. Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie led the effort, which concerned Hegseth's handling of the Iran war and other military actions. At a news conference, Hegseth called the push "sabotage."

Trump has stood by him. The Boston Globe reports some top Democrats have shown interest in pursuing impeachment once their party controls in January.

Key figures
  • 211-204House vote to send the impeachment resolution to committeeMS NOW
  • 11 Democratsdid not vote on the impeachment effort, according to the Daily BeastThe Daily Beast
  • two or three times per dayhow often sentinels react to the crowd, per a 2022 Army interview cited by CBS NewsCBS News

Three sides of the story

11Liberal10Center4Conservative

25 news outlets reported this

Tap a color or swipe sideways to switch sides.

Liberal11 outlets

The reprimand set against the impeachment fight

The Daily Beast headlines its report "Arlington Sentinel Gives Rowdy Hegseth Humiliating Reprimand" and says the group "appeared to scurry away quickly" after the guard spoke. MS NOW and the Boston Globe tie the moment to the day before. MS NOW notes the House voted 211-204 to send Rep. Thomas Massie's impeachment resolution to committee, and the Globe says some top Democrats have shown interest in pursuing impeachment once their party controls Congress in January.

The Daily Beast says 11 Democrats did not vote. CBS News keeps closer to the scene: it is "not clear who laughed, or whether Hegseth made any noise," and it adds that sentinels reprimanding visitors is not unusual, citing a staff sergeant who, in a 2022 Army interview, described sentinels responding to crowds two or three times daily. MS NOW also links the incident to Pentagon security officials threatening to physically remove reporters from Hegseth's news conference if they failed to maintain decorum.

The Globe, Daily Beast and CBS carry Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell's statement that the soldier acted "correctly and respectfully."

Center10 outlets

The guard's rebuke and Democratic reaction

The Seattle Times runs the AP report, which says a soldier gave the group a verbal reprimand after the Veterans Day ceremony. It adds the political reaction: Wisconsin Democrat Rep. Gwen Moore said the incident showed "his utter lack of fitness for his office." It also recalls Hegseth calling the impeachment effort "sabotage" and says efforts are likely to be renewed once Democrats take over Congress in January.

Newsweek opens with "where the rule is silence, a sentinel spoke up," relies on CNN reporter Haley Britzky's account and footage, and says it wasn't clear who laughed or whether Hegseth was among them. It also describes the sentinel's routine at the tomb and quotes Pentagon Press Operations. The Hill's headline says the sentinel "yells at Hegseth group to maintain decorum," and Forbes's headline says Hegseth and aides were told to "Maintain Silence."

Conservative4 outlets

Hegseth's impeachment defense, with the tomb rebuke

The Washington Examiner, which refers to "War Secretary" Pete Hegseth, leads with his entourage being rebuked after someone laughed near the tomb. It says it seemed a woman in the group laughed.

When pressed for comment, the Pentagon gave Sean Parnell's statement that a soldier "correctly and respectfully" reminded everyone to maintain decorum. Most of the piece covers the impeachment effort led by Rep. Thomas Massie. It says the effort focused largely on Hegseth's role overseeing the Iran war and strikes on alleged drug cartel boats.

It quotes Hegseth saying "None of these [impeachment articles] are high crimes or " and calling them "partisan policy disagreements." The Examiner reports Hegseth dismissed Massie's push as a political stunt ahead of the congressman's January 2027 departure from the House. It notes Trump has stood by him and says that if the Democratic-majority 120th Congress impeached Hegseth, he would be the first sitting war secretary impeached in 150 years.

All sources: 40 articles from 25 outlets

Liberal (24)

Center (11)

Conservative (5)

Related
  1. Hegseth vows not to back down as a Republican congressman plans impeachment push
  2. Hegseth lets National Guard troops in DC use military vehicles and boats
  3. Republican Rep. Massie files impeachment charges against Defense Secretary Hegseth over Iran war
  4. Army guard scolds Defense Secretary Hegseth's group after laughter near Tomb of the Unknown SoldierThis story
  5. Hegseth awards medal to Tomb of the Unknown Soldier guard who scolded his group
House of Representatives

The lower chamber of Congress: 435 members elected every two years, with more seats for bigger states. It is the chamber that can impeach officials.

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Impeachment

A formal accusation against a top official, up to the president, voted by the House of Representatives. Only the Senate can then remove the official, with two-thirds of the votes.

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Congress

The US parliament: the Senate and the House of Representatives. A bill becomes law when both pass it and the president signs it.

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Felony and misdemeanor

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