US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced a public reprimand from an Army soldier after laughing and talking near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Wednesday as reported by Detik news.
The incident occurred during Veterans Day observances at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Video footage captured Hegseth, his wife Jennifer, and several senior aides posing for photographs near the sacred monument following a wreath-laying ceremony attended by President Donald Trump, according to CNN Indonesia.
As the group finished taking photos, several members began talking and laughing loudly. An infantry soldier from The Old Guard, who maintains a 24-hour vigil over the monument, interrupted his patrol and shouted a sharp rebuke across the plaza, as detailed by InvestorTrust.
"All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!" the soldier shouted, lifting his rifle vertically before returning to his post.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell defended the soldier’s intervention while addressing the conduct of the Defense Secretary, according to CNN Indonesia.
"The Secretary and the entire Department have always honored—and will always honor—the sacrifices our servicemen and women have made to keep America safe. As we commemorate this solemn day, a serviceman appropriately and respectfully reminds everyone to maintain decorum," said Parnell.
Democratic lawmakers quickly seized on the episode, criticizing the defense chief just a day after he survived an impeachment vote in the House of Representatives, as noted by Vietnam.vn.
"Pete Hegseth continues to demonstrate his utter unfitness for office. The day after escaping impeachment, he demonstrated his disdain for our soldiers by disrespecting the sacred Tomb of the Unknown Soldier." said Gwen Moore, US Representative for Wisconsin, according to Detik news.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands as one of the most sacred military monuments in the United States, honoring unidentified service members killed in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. Located directly across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., Arlington National Cemetery serves as the final resting place for more than 430,000 military personnel, veterans, and eligible family members, as documented by InvestorTrust.
Since 1948, members of the 3rd US Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, have guarded the monument continuously in all weather conditions. The site features a 24-hour guard rotation with elaborate changing-of-the-guard ceremonies occurring hourly, according to CNN Indonesia.
Hegseth attended the official Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremonies alongside President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, as reported by Vietnam.vn and InvestorTrust.
The group included his wife Jennifer Hegseth, Chief of Staff Ricky Buria, Deputy Chief of Staff Patrick Weaver, and Senior Advisor Tami Radabaugh, according to InvestorTrust and RCTI+.
Hegseth and his entourage did not stop or issue an on-site verbal response, instead turning briefly and walking up the stairs to leave the area, as described by CNN Indonesia and InvestorTrust.
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