US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday awarded a military medal to Specialist Thomas Iglesias. Iglesias previously scolded Hegseth’s team for talking near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11. Hegseth praised the soldier’s actions, saying, "We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist. Carry on Patriots."
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday awarded a military medal to the Army soldier who reprimanded him and his delegation for talking and laughing near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery during a Veterans Day visit. Hegseth presented Specialist Thomas Iglesias with the Joint Service Commendation Medal at the Pentagon, recognising him "for the execution of his duties at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026". The Defence Secretary also shared photographs of the ceremony on X, including one showing him presenting the medal to Iglesias. "We love soldiers.
We love standards. Well done, Specialist. Carry on Patriots," Hegseth wrote. What happened at Arlington cemetery? Iglesias came into the spotlight after a video of Wednesday's incident showed him asking Hegseth, his wife Jennifer and several senior aides to maintain silence at the memorial. The group had been taking photographs and talking on the steps near the tomb following the annual Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony attended by President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance. After laughter was heard from the delegation, the Army sentinel approached the group and shouted: "All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times."
The Pentagon subsequently defended Iglesias' intervention. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the soldier had "correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum". What is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is among America's most revered military memorials. It honours unidentified US service members who died in military conflicts, including World War I, World War II and the Korean War. The memorial has been guarded continuously since 1948 by soldiers of the 3rd US Infantry Regiment, popularly known as the Old Guard. The incident comes days after Hegseth survived an impeachment attempt in the House of Representatives over allegations related to the US military campaign against Iran.