CNN anchor Jake Tapper tore into Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for the “embarrassing” behavior that resulted in him being reprimanded on Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial.
On Wednesday, Tapper played a video of Hegseth, his wife and a group of close advisors being scolded by an Arlington National Cemetery guard over their behavior near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The guard was captured on camera shouting at them for failing to maintain the “atmosphere of silence and respect at all times” that is expected near the memorial.
Tapper said the video caught not just a moment of “disrespect” but “hypocrisy” on the part of Hegseth, whose party was “so loud and disrespectful” that they provoked a guard into loudly reprimanding them. Those present with Hegseth could be seen and heard laughing and posing for photos at the memorial.
While it was originally built as a burial site for an unidentified soldier who died in World War I, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has become a symbol representing all fallen service members whose identities are never determined even after their deaths. With that in mind, it is expected that all who visit the memorial do so with the utmost respect.
As Tapper noted Wednesday, Hegseth has suggested in recent days that impeachment measures raised against him were not being critical of him but were “actually criticizing service members, troops, which they were not.” The impeachment measures introduced against Hegseth this week were eventually blocked by House Republicans.
“This same guy on Veterans Day is part of a group whose behavior was so inappropriate they had to be reprimanded in front of the cameras by a member of the Old Guard?” Tapper observed, before ultimately labeling Hegseth and those present “embarrassing.”
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell responded to critics regarding the incident.
“While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum,” Parnell said, adding, “The Secretary and the entire Department have always honored — and will always honor — the sacrifices our military men and women have made to keep America safe.”
Hegseth was part of a ceremony conducted in honor of the Veterans Day holiday on Wednesday that also counted President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance among its attendees. In a post shared on X, Hegseth formally commemorated the holiday as well.
“Happy Veterans Day — to our best Americans. The Hegseth’s are honored to celebrate our veterans this morning,” he wrote, concluding, “Thank God for our warriors, past and present.”
