Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference at the Pentagon in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026.

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Lars Hanson

By Lars Hanson

Associate News Editor

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At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where the rule is silence, a sentinel spoke up on Wednesday afternoon.

Laughter rose from a group with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth near the Tomb on Veterans Day, and the guard on duty warned them to “maintain silence” and “pay respect.” The exchange was caught in footage CNN aired shortly around 2:20 p.m. ET as “Moments Ago.”

The footage shows a small group in dark suits climbing the marble steps of the Memorial Amphitheater by the tomb. A sentinel in dress blues with a rifle walks his post, and a wreath stands nearby.

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It wasn’t clear from the broadcast who in the group laughed, or whether Hegseth was one of them.

The warning came hours after Hegseth stood with President Donald Trump at the morning’s national wreath-laying, as Hegseth faced an impeachment push this week.

Newsweek has reached out to the Pentagon via email on Wednesday afternoon for comment.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference at the Pentagon on November 10, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia.

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Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gabe Whisnant and Dave Siminoff.

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