The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the few places in Washington where even the most powerful visitors are expected to observe the same rules as everyone else.
On Veterans Day, however, a group accompanying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was reminded of that by an Army sentinel after laughter broke out near the memorial. CNN cameras captured the guard ordering the visitors to “maintain silence” and “pay respect.”
The footage, broadcast shortly after 2:20 p.m. ET, shows Hegseth and members of his team standing near the memorial after the morning’s wreath-laying ceremony. Someone in the group began laughing after they had taken photographs, prompting the sentinel to interrupt his patrol and call out.
“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!” the soldier warned.
wow — CNN broadcast footage of an Arlington guard yelling at a group with Pete Hegseth to “MAINTAIN SILENCE … PAY RESPECT!” after someone in his entourage started laughing at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier https://t.co/430uEKRRp5
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 11, 2026
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
According to CNN, the group included Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh. The network’s reporting identified laughter coming from the group, but did not establish who was responsible. There is no evidence that Hegseth himself laughed.
The warning was particularly significant given where it happened.
The Tomb holds the remains of unidentified American service members from World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Its sentinels belong to the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, which has guarded the memorial around the clock since 1948.
The Army describes the guard’s duty as an honor reserved for soldiers who meet demanding standards of discipline and conduct. The sentinels maintain their watch regardless of weather, with visitors expected to respect the ceremony and remain quiet.
Hegseth’s visit also came a day after he faced an attempt to advance impeachment proceedings against him. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduced eight articles accusing the defense secretary of breaking federal law and violating the Constitution through military operations involving Iran and other countries.
Massie rejected the suggestion that the effort was simply about whether Hegseth was performing well in his job.
“We’re not indicting him for being bad at his job,” Massie told reporters. “In fact, he was very effective at killing schoolchildren in Iran. He was very effective at extrajudicial killings.”
He continued: “There’s no argument in these impeachment articles that he’s ineffective. The argument here is that he’s broken laws and he’s violated the Constitution.”
The House voted 211–204 on Tuesday to send the impeachment resolution back to committee, blocking it from advancing at that stage. A day later, Hegseth joined President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at Arlington to honor fallen American service members.
Featured image via X screengrab
