Incident at the military cemetery
Guard soldier admonishes Hegseth and companions
Updated 11/12/2026 – 8:58 a.mReading time: 3 minutes
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his companions pose for a photo at the military cemetery in Arlington. Then it gets loud.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth caused an incident at the military cemetery in Arlington with employees and his wife Jennifer. The Republican was there as part of Veterans Day, which commemorates US soldiers. Hegseth, his wife, Chief of Staff Ricky Buria and other high-ranking employees then went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
They first lined up in front of the tomb for a group photo and then continued on laughing, like recordings from the broadcaster CNN show. Suddenly, however, a loud voice rang out across the square. “All visitors are obliged to maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,” the guard at the monument shouted loudly and clearly. He even stopped his patrol to address the group surrounding the minister.
The Pentagon confirmed the incident. The guard correctly warned those present, spokesman Sean Parnell told CNN. “The Secretary and the entire Department have always honored – and will continue to honor – the sacrifices our servicemen and women have made to keep America safe.”
Democratic Congresswoman Gwen Moore of Wisconsin criticized the minister’s behavior. Hegseth has demonstrated “his complete unsuitability for his office.” “One day after narrowly avoiding impeachment, he shows his contempt for our men and women in uniform by disrespecting the sanctity of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” she wrote in a social media post.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the most important memorials in the USA. It honors unidentified fallen soldiers from World War I Second World War and the Korean War. Since 1948, a soldier from the “Old Guard”, i.e. the 3rd Infantry Regiment, has been guarding the tomb around the clock, regardless of the wind Weather. Foreign dignitaries, presidents, public figures and politicians regularly visit the memorial to pay their respects to American soldiers.
Incident in Trump’s election campaign
It was not the first incident involving members of Trump’s team. While campaigning for a second term, Trump attended a memorial ceremony in 2024 honoring the im Iraq and in Afghanistan fallen US soldiers. A campaign staffer reportedly pushed a cemetery employee who was trying to stop two people from filming and photographing the event.
Trump, who was supported by the families of the 13 US soldiers killed in the attack in 2021 Airport Kabul who were killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan, later published a video on TikTok. It showed him in the cemetery, accompanied by a comment in which he blamed the Biden administration for the “disaster” of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. U.S. law prohibits campaign or election-related activities at national military cemeteries.
Read video transcript
“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.” And that also applies to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who is reprimanded by a US soldier in the video. The reason: loud laughter at a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. Hegseth was at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is guarded 24 hours a day, on Veterans Day with his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, and senior staff. This tomb is a sacred site and the resting place of three unknown American soldiers. It is a place of mourning and reflection on military service.
Impeachment proceedings against Hegseth failed for the time being
An attempt to initiate impeachment proceedings against US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth failed on Tuesday. In the House of Representatives, where the Republicans from President Donald Trump have the majority, the MPs voted 211 to 204 to refer a request from Republican MP Thomas Massie to initiate impeachment proceedings to the Judiciary Committee. After the Republicans’ election defeat in the midterms, Hegseth is under massive pressure, especially because of the unpopular Iran War.
