US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attends a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, US, November 11, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was greeted with a smattering of boos Wednesday at a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.
President Donald Trump called him out by name during a speech to mark the occasion, and the mention of the Pentagon chief's name was met with both cheers and jeers, one day after the Republican-led House narrowly rejected an effort to impeach him.
"The secretary of war, Pete Hegseth," Trump said, as some audience members raucously cheered and others loudly booed. "I had a feeling that was going to happen."
The cemetery sits within sight of Trump’s proposed “triumphal arch,” which is tied up in court. On Tuesday, members of the Kennedy family joined the legal fight to stop its construction.
The ceremony also comes as the administration faces mounting criticism over its handling of the Iran war, which Vice President JD Vance blamed for the Republican midterm walloping.
Report typos and corrections to corrections@rawstory.com.
For customer support contact support@rawstory.com.
