Hegseth honors soldier who reprimanded him at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded Spc. Thomas Iglesias the Joint Service Commendation Medal after the soldier scolded him and his aides for laughing at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans Day. Hegseth welcomed the Army unit guarding the tomb to the Pentagon and praised Iglesias on social media, saying "We love soldiers. We love standards." The reprimand occurred after a loud laugh during photo-taking following a ceremony with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The medal is a high military honor rarely given to junior enlisted troops. The incident followed Hegseth's survival of an impeachment attempt, with Democrats expected to renew efforts when they take control of Congress in January.