Hegseth pins medal on soldier who reprimanded his group for laughing at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - The Independent

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Showing no hard feelings, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded a medal to the U.S. serviceman who reprimanded his entourage for laughing at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

“We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist. Carry on Patriots,” Hegseth wrote in a Thursday X post.

Hegseth welcomed the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, to the Pentagon “where he proudly awarded Specialist [Thomas] Iglesias the Joint Service Commendation Medal for the execution of his duties at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026,” CNN confirmed, citing a Pentagon official.

The Secretary’s post included photos of him pinning the medal on Iglesias, as well as shaking his hand and posing for a group shot with six additional servicemen.

After attending a Veterans Day ceremony Wednesday, Hegseth, his wife and several staff members, including chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh, stopped to take photos in front of the tomb. However, it was their laughter that stole the spotlight.

As some were heard laughing and chatting, Iglesias, who was on patrol, stopped and turned toward them.

“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,” he called out.

In a statement to The Independent, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell defended the department's respect for service members and acknowledged the guard's intervention.

“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,” Parnell said. “While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.”

The moment quickly went viral, with social media users blasting Hegseth and his group for the behavior at a memorial where visitors are expected to show respect. Some, however, rushed to the defense of Hegseth and noted they have seen other bad behavior at the site.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the nation's most sacred war memorials, honoring unidentified American service members who died in combat. Soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment have guarded the tomb around the clock since 1948.

Maintaining silence and respect is part of the sentinels' duties, and they are expected to correct visitors who become too loud or fail to follow the memorial's rules.

The Veterans Day incident comes amid a difficult week for Hegseth, who narrowly avoided an impeachment vote in the House Tuesday night.

The articles of impeachment, introduced by outgoing Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, accused the defense secretary of carrying out unlawful orders, including waging war against Iran without congressional authorization, disregarding laws protecting civilians and directing extrajudicial killings.

Hegseth dismissed the allegations as a "policy dispute" during a Tuesday press conference, while President Donald Trump vowed to continue supporting him.