Pete Hegseth honors soldier who scolded him at Arlington cemetery

Hegseth posted photos on his X account on Thursday showing him presenting the medal, which is typically not given to junior enlisted service members. "We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist," Hegseth said alongside the images.

Incident at Arlington

The incident occurred when Iglesias forcefully reprimanded Hegseth and his entourage, including his wife Jennifer and staffers, who were talking and loudly while taking photos at the tomb. The soldier shouted: "All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!"

Political Context

The public reprimand comes the same week that Hegseth survived an impeachment attempt over his handling of the war with Iran. President Trump pointed to the war as a major factor behind Republican defeats in last week's midterm elections.

In his first press conference in months on Tuesday, Hegseth dismissed the impeachment attempt as a "farce, a stunt" and "sabotage."

Tomb Significance

The tomb at Arlington Cemetery outside Washington D.C. is considered one of America's most solemn military monuments. It honors service members from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, with an empty site for missing Vietnam soldiers.

Since 1948, the tomb has been guarded around the clock by soldiers from the US Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard."