What the Video Shows: Did Hegseth Laugh at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?

Video of an Army sentinel calling for "silence and respect" at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier spread widely on Veterans Day, with many posts saying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth himself laughed at the memorial. The Digital Free Press reviewed C-SPAN's 1:52 clip of the moment, Fox News' 1:50 pool video and the Defense Department's official ceremony video, and read the main news reports side by side. None of that footage shows Hegseth laughing, and no outlet TDFP reviewed reports as fact that he did.

The clip spread after a CNN anchor posted a shorter, edited version on X on Wednesday afternoon.

What the Footage Shows

Video: C-SPAN

According to Fox News, President Donald Trump left the memorial around 12:28 p.m. after the wreath-laying, and Hegseth and members of his group began posing for photos on the memorial steps around 12:29 p.m. The Associated Press, as published by Fox19, reported that the video shows Hegseth on the steps with his wife, Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh.

C-SPAN's clip, which TDFP downloaded and reviewed frame by frame, shows the moment from a different, closer angle than the Fox pool video. C-SPAN's own description says the group "is seen taking a photo together and heard laughing loudly." It shows the group posing on the steps, then breaking up and climbing toward the amphitheater as the shot widens. The loudest voices on the audio come as the group starts up the steps. In no frame is a face clear enough to tell who, if anyone, is laughing.

Seconds later, the sentinel, standing near the wreath, calls out: "All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times." The call is addressed to "all visitors," and it does not name anyone.

TDFP could not identify who laughed. The audio is faint, mixed with wind and other voices, and TDFP could not tell whether the voice was male or female. The Defense Department's official ceremony video on DVIDS, about 80 minutes long, does not include the photo session, according to TDFP's review.

What Each Outlet Claims

The AP wrote that the reprimand went to "a group of advisers and staffers with" Hegseth, and that "as the group broke from taking photos, a loud laugh could be heard." Fox News said laughter came "from departing members" of Hegseth's entourage. The Washington Examiner wrote that "it seemed a woman in the group laughed."

NBC News reported that Hegseth, his wife and some top aides were "taking pictures, talking and laughing," and that Hegseth "made no acknowledgment of the reprimand, looking over his shoulder and continuing to walk up a set of stairs." The Guardian's headline said Hegseth and aides were "scolded by guard for laughing," while its text said "some in the group were heard laughing and talking." Rolling Stone's headline said Hegseth and advisers were "Yelled at for Disrespecting" the Tomb. It quoted a Washington Post post saying the sentinel spoke "after laughter could be heard from a group near Secretary Hegseth."

The BBC went furthest, writing that the video "shows Hegseth, his wife and senior advisers laughing and talking while posing for photos." In the C-SPAN and Fox footage TDFP reviewed, no face is visible clearly enough to show that.

On social media, the claim was stated outright. A widely shared Reddit comment said "Hegseth laughed at a dead soldier." TDFP found no named witness or reporter on site who says Hegseth himself laughed.

What the Pentagon and the Army Say

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement quoted by AP and Fox News: "While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum. 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." The statement does not dispute the account, and it does not say who laughed.

The sentinels belong to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard. In an Army article, Staff Sgt. Chadwick Winget, a relief commander at the Tomb, said sentinels address noisy crowds "two or three times a day," usually because visitors are "talking and not realizing how loud they're being, or laughing or making jokes amongst their group."

Based on the footage available, the record shows that a laugh came from the group near Hegseth and that the sentinel addressed all visitors. It does not show who laughed.

Sources: C-SPAN clip, "Army Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Loudly Reprimands Defense Secy. Pete Hegseth's Group" (c-span.org/clip/white-house-event/army-sentinel-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknown-soldier-loudly-reprimands-defense-secy-pete-hegseths-group/5210687); Fox News video and report (foxnews.com/video/6408255499112; foxnews.com/politics/army-sentinel-sharply-reprimands-hegseths-group-tomb-unknown-soldier-veterans-day); Associated Press via Fox19 (fox19.com); NBC News; Washington Examiner; The Guardian; Rolling Stone; BBC News; DVIDS, "Trump, Hegseth Attend Veterans Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony" (dvidshub.net/video/1029510); U.S. Army, "Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier" (army.mil/article/256739); Reddit r/PoursTea.