Hegseth awards medal to soldier who reprimanded him at Arlington

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded a medal on Thursday to the soldier who reprimanded him during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Photos on X show Hegseth pinning the medal on the soldier's chest. The reprimand occurred when Hegseth, his wife, and colleagues laughed and talked at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, prompting a guard to shout that visitors must maintain silence and respect. Hegseth praised the soldier, writing, "We love soldiers. We uphold our norms. Good job, specialist." The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a national monument near Washington DC honoring unidentified American soldiers killed in war. The incident was captured on video, and Hegseth's award appears to endorse the guard's enforcement of cemetery protocol.