Washington — A guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday chastised a group of people, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, for making noise at the site.
Hegseth, his wife and several aides — including chief of staff Ricky Buria — visited the grave for a Veterans Day wreath-laying, followed by a ceremony at the nearby Memorial Auditorium. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were also in attendance at the event.
After the ceremony, the Secretary of Defense and his team posed for a photo. As they began to walk away, a member of the group burst out laughing, leading a U.S. Army sentry to shout, “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.” »
It is not known who laughed or whether Hegseth made any noise.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell told CBS News: “The Secretary and the entire Department have always honored – and always will honor – the sacrifices our service 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 the first to report the incident.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier commemorates fallen American service members from World War I and subsequent conflicts whose remains have never been identified. The sentries who march past the grave 24 hours a day – a prestigious position within the military – are a well-known presence at the cemetery, famous for its changing of the guard ceremony.
It is not uncommon for sentries to reprimand visitors who interrupt the expected solemnity at the memorial. Army Staff Sgt. Chadwick Winget, who belonged to the regiment guarding the grave, said in a 2022 Army interview that sentries reacted to the crowds two or three times a day.
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