A security guard at the memorial site could be heard shouting at the group to “maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.”
Published November 12, 2026
A video of a security guard reprimanding a group accompanying US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on a visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has gone viral.
On Wednesday, Hegseth and his staff visited the memorial site at Arlington National Cemetery.
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But when we stopped to take a group photo, we heard laughter. The video shows an army sentry turning around and loudly reprimanding them.
“All visitors will always maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect,” the guard shouted.
The grave is considered a somber memorial to those who died in war and marks the final resting place of unidentified American soldiers from World War I and subsequent conflicts.
Members of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as the “Old Guard,” are monitoring the scene 24 hours a day.
The incident, which took place on Veterans Day, comes amid speculation about whether Hegseth will be able to maintain a cabinet-level position in US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Hegseth narrowly avoided a vote on articles of impeachment against him in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday, but Republican lawmakers banded together to try to derail the effort.
Critics have accused Hegseth of overseeing several illegal actions during his time in office, including spearheading the U.S.-Israel war against Iran without seeking Congressional approval.
War became the central topic of the November 3 midterm elections, and President Trump’s Republican Party suffered a crushing defeat, losing both houses of Congress.
Hegseth has also championed a deadly attack campaign targeting alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. Legal scholars have dubbed the operation a series of extrajudicial killings.
During his time as defense secretary, Mr. Hegseth has been criticized for weakening rules aimed at reducing civilian casualties from U.S. attacks.
Additionally, his tenure has been marked by right-wing culture war issues. He called for transgender service members to be barred from the military and introduced testosterone testing for male soldiers.
In response to Wednesday’s exchange at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that the sentries responded “correctly.”
He also emphasized Hegseth’s respect for U.S. soldiers.
“The Secretary and the entire department have always respected, and will continue to respect, the sacrifices our military members make to keep America safe,” Parnell said.
