Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was publicly admonished by a military sentinel for laughing and taking photos while visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans Day, drawing sharp criticism for disrespecting fallen troops.

• A sentinel guarding the tomb told Hegseth's group to maintain silence and respect after they were caught laughing and snapping photos.
• Critics point out this comes as Hegseth faces accusations of downplaying U.S. casualties from the recent conflict with Iran, which left dozens of service members dead and hundreds injured.
• Separately, an impeachment push against Hegseth, built around eight articles brought by a House member, failed to get a vote after several Democrats were absent, drawing backlash even though the measure would have been largely symbolic given the Senate's makeup.
• The episode is feeding into broader frustration with Democratic leadership for not showing up to take even symbolic stands against the administration.

Outlook: Expect continued political fallout and renewed pressure for an impeachment vote, though a Senate conviction remains unlikely given the current numbers.