US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attends a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, US, November 11, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and members of his senior staff received a stern reminder about proper behavior at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday after someone in their group was heard laughing near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
CNN’s Brianna Keilar described the Veterans Day encounter as a “pretty stunning moment” after an Army sentinel interrupted the group’s visit to demand “silence and respect.”
“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,” the soldier called out Wednesday as Hegseth’s group was finishing a photo opportunity.
CNN senior national security correspondent Zachary Cohen reported that Hegseth and several senior Pentagon officials had accompanied President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance to Arlington for the annual Veterans Day ceremony.
Video captured the group posing for photographs before someone could be heard laughing, prompting the sentinel’s reprimand.
“The atmosphere, supposed to be very solemn,” Cohen said. “And this soldier, clearly reminding the secretary of defense of that in real time.”
Cohen explained that the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is among America’s most sacred military memorials, honoring unidentified service members. Soldiers assigned to the Army’s Old Guard maintain a continuous watch over the tomb, he added.
CNN said it contacted Hegseth’s office for comment but had not received a response.