Hegseth awards medal to soldier who reprimanded him: NPR

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, and his wife Jennifer Rauchet attend a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on National Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026.

Mark Schiefelbein/AP

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Mark Schiefelbein/AP

After the bruises suffered by Republicans in the midterms, this week looks bad for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Many believed he would be the first administration member to be fired for his support of the war in Iran, which has proven unpopular with voters.

Then a member of his own party called for a vote to impeach him and, in an embarrassing incident that went viral, he was also chastised for his lack of decorum during his visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Yet he managed to survive the first — except for Thomas Massie, who sponsored the resolution to impeach him, every other House Republican voted against — and sought to turn the second into a public relations opportunity.

The day after the impeachment proceedings, an incident occurred at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, one of America’s most sacred military sites. It happened when Hegseth, his wife and employees went to lay a wreath at the memorial just outside Washington, D.C., to mark Veterans Day on Wednesday.

Someone in the Secretary of Defense’s group burst out laughing, prompting a sentry on duty at Arlington National Cemetery to shout, “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!”

As the video spread on social media, there was a wave of condemnation online, with some dubbing Hegseth “the crime secretary”.

Political opponents, including Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), as well as former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, have criticized Hegseth and his group.

“Pete Hegseth continues to demonstrate his complete lack of fitness for his position,” Moore said. on. “One day, after narrowly avoiding indictment, he showed his contempt for our men and women in uniform by disrespecting the sanctity of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”

On Thursday, the embattled defense secretary attempted to regain control of the discourse. He invited the soldier who yelled at him, Spc. Thomas Iglesias, at the Pentagon, where he awarded him the “Joint Service Commendation Medal for performance of duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026.”