Soldier scolds Hegseth for laughing and chatting at Arlington National Cemetery

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his entourage were publicly reprimanded by a soldier after being caught laughing and talking on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, where a guard on duty called for silence and respect.

Hegseth was at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday (local time) for a Veterans Day ceremony attended by President Donald Trump, Yonhap reported.

After the ceremony, Hegseth and his group posed for photographs on the steps of a building near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A broadcast camera then captured some members of the group laughing and talking loudly.

A soldier guarding the tomb turned toward them and announced in a loud voice that "all visitors must maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times."

According to CNN, those present included Hegseth, his wife, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver, and senior adviser and deputy assistant Tammy Radabaugh.

The soldier promptly resumed his patrol. Cameras captured Hegseth walking up the steps to leave, pointing toward the soldier as he departed.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier holds the remains of American service members killed in World War I, World War II and the Korean War whose identities could not be confirmed. Arlington National Cemetery honors them with the highest reverence, maintaining a solemn atmosphere throughout the grounds.

Since March 1926, soldiers from the US Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, armed with bayoneted rifles, have stood guard at the tomb 24 hours a day, every day, without a single interruption in more than 100 years.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement that "the secretary and the entire Department of Defense have always and will always honor the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform who keep America safe," adding that "during this solemn commemoration, one soldier provided an accurate and respectful reminder for all to be on their best behavior."

Meanwhile, Hegseth has recently survived an impeachment threat.

House Republicans moved to block a floor vote on the impeachment motion against Hegseth.

The House voted Wednesday to refer the impeachment motion to a standing committee, approving the procedural measure 211 to 204, Yonhap reported. Instead of proceeding directly to a full floor vote, the motion was sent to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. The move effectively killed the impeachment effort by bypassing a floor debate and vote and sending the motion to a committee currently controlled by Republicans.

All Republican lawmakers voted in favor of the referral except Rep. Thomas Massie, who had broken with Trump to introduce the impeachment motion.

The Democratic Party's push to impeach Hegseth has for now come to nothing. However, if Hegseth remains in his post until the new Congress convenes early next year, the Democratic Party is expected to pursue impeachment again.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that the Democratic Party's attempt to impeach Hegseth had "failed miserably," claiming the outcome amounted to a vindication of the defense secretary.