On Wednesday, a video went viral showing an Army guard reprimanding a group, including United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, for not maintaining silence and respect at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The tomb serves as a solemn memorial to unidentified American soldiers who perished in wars from World War I onwards. This incident occurred during Hegseth's visit to the site, where he was accompanied by his staff and was heard laughing while taking group photos. The guard, part of the 3rd Infantry Regiment known as the “Old Guard,” is responsible for maintaining vigil at the tomb 24 hours a day.
The rebuke comes amid ongoing speculation about Hegseth's future in President Donald Trump's administration, following his narrow escape from a vote on articles of impeachment brought against him by the US House of Representatives on Tuesday. Critics accuse Hegseth of overseeing unlawful actions during his tenure, such as spearheading a potential US-Israel war on Iran without seeking congressional authorization and initiating deadly strikes against drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, which legal scholars deem extrajudicial killings. Hegseth has also faced criticism for weakening rules aimed at reducing civilian casualties in US strikes, as well as for his stance on right-wing culture war issues like banning transgender service members from the armed forces and implementing testosterone testing for male soldiers.
In response to the incident, Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell issued a statement expressing support for Hegseth's commitment to honoring American soldiers and their sacrifices. Parnell emphasized that the guard had responded correctly in enforcing the rules of silence and respect at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.