Washington — A guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday loudly reprimanded a group of people that included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for making noise at the site.
Hegseth, his wife and several aides — including chief of staff Ricky Buria — visited the tomb for a Veterans Day wreath-laying, followed by a ceremony at the nearby Memorial Auditorium. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump also attended the event.
After the ceremony, the defense secretary and his team posed for a photo. As they began walking away, a member of the group audibly laughed, leading a U.S. Army sentinel to belt out: “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.”
It is not clear who laughed, or whether Hegseth made any noise.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell told CBS News: “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. While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.”
CNN was first to report on the incident.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorializes deceased American service members from World War I and later conflicts whose remains were never identified. The sentinels who march in front of the tomb for 24 hours a day — a prestigious posting within the Army — are a well-known presence at the cemetery, famous for their guard-changing ceremony.
It is not unusual for sentinels to reprimand visitors who interrupt the solemnity expected at the memorial. Army Staff Sgt. Chadwick Winget, who belonged to the regiment that guards the tomb, said in a 2022 Army interview that sentinels react to the crowd two or three times per day.
