Hegseth Awards Medal to Soldier Who Rebuked Him at Tomb of Unknown Soldier - Newsweek

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has awarded the soldier who reprimanded him and members of his entourage at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans Day.

Hegseth presented the Joint Service Commendation Medal to Specialist Iglesias of the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, during a ceremony at the Pentagon on Thursday.

The recognition comes one day after Iglesias publicly reminded Hegseth and members of his staff to maintain silence and respect near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery during Veterans Day observances.

"We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist," Hegseth wrote in a social media post accompanying photographs of the award ceremony. "Carry on Patriots."

A Pentagon official confirmed that Hegseth welcomed members of The Old Guard to the Pentagon and awarded Iglesias for the execution of his duties at the Tomb on Wednesday.

The incident occurred Wednesday after Hegseth attended a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Hegseth was taking photographs near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier alongside his wife, Jennifer, Chief of Staff Ricky Buria, Deputy Chief of Staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh.

After the photographs were taken, members of the group were heard laughing and talking near the memorial.

Iglesias, who was serving as a sentinel guarding the Tomb, stopped his patrol, turned toward the group and issued a reminder about the site's strict rules: "All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times," he called out.

Video of the exchange quickly circulated online, drawing bipartisan criticism of the defense secretary.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell subsequently defended the soldier's actions, saying he had correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is among the nation's most sacred military memorials, honoring unidentified American service members who died in war. The site is guarded around the clock by soldiers from the Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, which assumed responsibility for the mission in 1948.

Sentinels maintain a continuous vigil regardless of weather conditions, following a precise ceremonial routine that includes marching 21 steps along a designated path and pausing for 21 seconds before repeating the sequence.

Maintaining silence and respect around the memorial is an important part of the guard's responsibilities. Sentinels are expected to correct visitors who fail to observe the rules.

The medal presentation marks a notable development in the controversy surrounding Hegseth's Veterans Day visit, with the defense secretary publicly recognizing the soldier whose intervention attracted widespread attention.

Newsweek has reached out to the Pentagon for additional comment on Thursday.

This is breaking news, updates to follow.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Samantha Beech and Dave Siminoff.