Hegseth honors sentry who shouted at him for laughing at Arlington Cemetery's tomb of the Unknown Soldier

On Wednesday, a video of a soldier, on guard, shouting at his boss, the United States Secretary of Defense, went viral on all social networks for laughing and taking selfies next to the tomb of the unknown soldier, in Arlington Cemetery, next to Washington.

The images show Hegseth on the empty steps in front of the grave alongside his wife, Jennifer, his chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh. While the group was making jokes and laughing out loud, the powerful voice of the soldier guarding the tomb was heard shouting: "all visitors must maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times." The symbolism, precisely on the day in which the United States celebrates war veterans, was tremendous.

The incident, under other circumstances, could have remained an anecdote. But it came just hours after Hegseth, surely the most questioned member of Donald Trump's government, and ultimately responsible for the war in Iran, narrowly escaped an impeachment attempt, a political trial in Congress that could have ended in his dismissal.

The Secretary of Defense is responsible for the war in Iran, for the attacks on boats and boats in the Caribbean that have left more than 240 unexplained deaths in the last year, for the purges of admirals and generals, for the blocking of women and African Americans in promotions. It has expelled the press from the Pentagon facilities, replacing them with related media, content creators and people willing to sign a document in which they undertake not to publish anything that has not received official approval. And he has even turned his wife into an advisor without clear responsibilities in the Pentagon itself, after having fired his former chief of staff and other senior officials.

Aware of all his bad press, Hegseth has reacted quickly, however this time by awarding this Thursday the soldier who caught their attention. "We love the soldiers. We love the standards. Well done, specialist. Keep going, patriots," he wrote on social networks along with some images in which he awarded a medal to sentinel Iglesias.

A Pentagon official confirmed to CNN that Hegseth received several members of the Third Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, in his office at the Pentagon, "where he proudly awarded Specialist Iglesias with the Joint Service Commendation Medal for his performance of duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026."