Arlington guard scolds Hegseth’s entourage for laughing near Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Hegseth, his wife, and several others in his group were posing for photos at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier when live TV coverage captured the moment. A U.S. Army sentinel guarding the memorial shouted a reprimand at the entourage after it seemed a woman in the group laughed near the tomb following a Veterans Day ceremony.“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!” the guard yelled. The Pentagon thanked the soldier’s action when pressed for comment by the Washington Examiner.“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,” spokesman Sean Parnell said. “While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.”War Secretary Pete Hegseth, right, and his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, stand alongside Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on National Veterans Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo) The incident comes after Hegseth avoided an impeachment effort from Congress focused largely on his role overseeing the Iran war, as well as strikes on alleged drug cartel boats.Critics, led by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), believe the secretary overstepped his authority by carrying out strikes and other types of warfare against the country and the cartels without congressional approval.The war in Iran has endured since late February, though it has calmed in recent months as peace talks pick up between Washington and Tehran.President Donald Trump has so far stood by his war secretary as momentum builds in Congress to remove him from office. Hegseth defended his actions during a rare press conference earlier this week, arguing that Massie’s impeachment push is little more than a political stunt before the congressman leaves the House in January 2027.“None of these [impeachment articles] are high crimes or misdemeanors,” Hegseth told reporters. “They’re partisan policy disagreements from people who want to politicize our military.”JOSH SHAPIRO SIGNALS SUPPORT FOR ABOLISHING ELECTORAL COLLEGE“It tells our enemies, Iran, the cartels, every adversary watching, that the United States will actually punish its own warriors and its own civilian leadership for successfully executing lawful military operations,” he continued.Hegseth would be the first sitting war secretary to be impeached in 150 years should such an effort succeed in the Democratic-majority 120th Congress.