The defence secretary pinned a Joint Service Commendation Medal on Specialist Thomas Iglesias, a day after the sentinel told Mr Hegseth’s party to keep silent at Arlington. The Pentagon said the award was for the “execution of his duties”.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has presented an award to the Army sentinel who reprimanded him and his advisers for laughing at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Mr Hegseth posted images on Thursday showing him pinning a Joint Service Commendation Medal on Specialist Thomas Iglesias in his Pentagon office and shaking his hand. “We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist. Carry on Patriots,” he wrote. A Pentagon spokesperson said the medal was given “for the execution of his duties” at the tomb.
The incident
After a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, Mr Hegseth, his wife Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria and two other senior advisers stopped for a group photograph at the tomb. As they walked away, laughter could be heard from the party. A member of the Army’s “Old Guard”, who was guarding the memorial, called out: “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!”
Mr Hegseth was widely criticised online and in the media over the group’s lack of decorum. On Wednesday evening, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the soldier had “correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum”.
The tomb and the ceremony
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is among the best-known military memorials in the United States. It is the final resting place of an unidentified American soldier killed in the First World War. Members of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, the Old Guard, have guarded it every day in all weather since 1948. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were among those at the ceremony.
The impeachment effort
The day before, Mr Hegseth held a rare Pentagon press briefing to condemn an effort to impeach him, which has since failed. The resolution was led by Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who is leaving office. It accused Mr Hegseth of “high crimes and misdemeanors”, the kidnapping of a foreign leader and ignoring laws designed to minimise civilian casualties.
“What one disgruntled and defeated congressman is attempting is not oversight, and it’s not accountability,” Mr Hegseth said. “It’s a political spectacle.” He added: “That’s what it is: policy disagreements, not high crimes, not misdemeanors, not treason, not bribery, not the kinds of offenses the founders intended when they wrote the impeachment clause.”
