US secretary of war Pete Hegseth was publicly reprimanded by a US Army soldier guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery after members of his entourage were seen laughing and talking near the memorial following a Veterans Day ceremony.A video of the incident shows Hegseth posing for photographs with his wife, Jennifer, and senior members of his team on the steps in front of the tomb. As the group finished taking pictures, some members appeared to be laughing and chatting, prompting the soldier on duty to interrupt them and issue a reminder about the memorial’s rules.“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,” the sentinel shouted, stopping his patrol and turning towards the group. The incident took place on Wednesday, a day after Hegseth narrowly survived an impeachment effort in the US House of Representatives.Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell defended the soldier’s intervention, saying he had acted appropriately. “While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum,” Parnell said in a statement.“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,” he added.
Why Hegseth was reprimanded
The incident occurred at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, one of the most revered war memorials in the US. It is the final resting place of unidentified American soldiers who died during World War I, World War II and the Korean War.The tomb has been guarded around the clock, regardless of weather conditions, by soldiers from the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as ‘The Old Guard’, since 1948. Visitors are expected to maintain silence and show respect at the site.Hegseth and his entourage were visiting the cemetery as part of the Veterans Day commemorations, which were also attended by President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance. The incident drew criticism from Democrats, with Representative Gwen Moore of Wisconsin accusing Hegseth of demonstrating “his utter lack of fitness 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.
Impeachment bid against Hegseth
The reprimand came a day after House Republicans blocked an attempt to impeach Hegseth, securing a procedural victory for the Trump administration.The effort was led by Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who introduced a resolution containing eight articles of impeachment. Hegseth was accused of authorising military operations in Iran and Yemen without congressional approval, violating the War Powers Act, and overseeing military actions involving civilian casualties and alleged extrajudicial killings.In a 211-204 vote on Tuesday, lawmakers agreed to refer the resolution to a committee, effectively preventing an immediate impeachment vote on the House floor.Hegseth dismissed the allegations during a Pentagon news conference, arguing that his actions did not amount to the “high crimes and misdemeanours” required for impeachment under the US Constitution. He described the effort as a political stunt and compared it to the unsuccessful impeachment attempts against Trump.However, the reprieve could be temporary. With Democrats set to take control of the House when the new Congress convenes in January, lawmakers could revive the impeachment effort.Trump has repeatedly backed Hegseth and praised his performance following the vote, awarding him an “A” PLUS PLUS PLUS on Truth Social while attacking Massie.