President Donald Trump’s handpicked Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth avoided impeachment, but still found himself in the hot seat.
Hegseth, 46, visited Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to commemorate Veterans Day this week.
However, the solemn occasion turned embarrassing for Hegseth, who seemingly realized the news cycle was not in his favor.
As a show of gratitude and reputation management, Hegseth welcomed the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, to the Pentagon on Nov. 12.
The former Army National Guard officer presented an Army sentinel with a Joint Service Commendation Medal for “the execution of his duties at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026.”
Hegseth also shared four photographs from the Pentagon meeting on Thursday morning. He captioned the images, “We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist. Carry on, Patriots.”
That man was Specialist Thomas Iglesias, the soldier who had scolded Hegseth and his entourage just hours earlier.
SecDef, his wife, Jennifer Hegseth, and senior aides taking part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the cemetery in Virginia.
The group gathered for a photo-op, but loud chit-chat on the steps near the burial site set Iglesias off.
At one point, someone started laughing, which prompted a loud response from the guard on duty at the memorial.
“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,” Iglesias shouted at Hegseth’s visiting party. That stern reprimand sent shockwaves across the political landscape.
A military member’s admonishment of the Defense Department chief over decorum and reverence sparked widespread outrage.
Sean Parnell, the 46-year-old DoD spokesman the department identifies as the assistant to the secretary of war for public affairs and senior advisor, attempted damage control by releasing a statement. Notably, officials offered no apology.
“The Secretary and the entire Department have always honored—and will always honor—the sacrifices our military men and women have made to keep America safe,” Parnell told CNN.
Presumably, Iglesias will not face any disciplinary action. Parnell also said, “While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.”
Those words were not enough of a mea culpa for many infuriated viewers and pundits. CNN anchor Jake Tapper scolded Hegseth online and on television.
“Where’s the apology? Where’s the expression of contrition or regret?” Tapper, 57, wondered during a segment of his “The Lead” episode.
Tapper was not done. On the night of Nov. 11, he uploaded a video on social media and YouTube calling out Hegseth’s disrespect and hypocrisy.
“Remember, this is a secretary of defense whose tenure has been marked by disdain for normal media coverage and for basic congressional accountability,” Tapper pointed out.
He resumed his lambasting of Hegseth by adding that the embattled Cabinet member acted “as those impeachment measures criticizing him were actually criticizing service members, troops, which they were not.”
“This same guy, on Veteran’s Day, is part of a group whose behavior was so inappropriate, they had to be reprimanded in front of cameras by a member of the Old Guard? Embarrassing,” Tapper concluded.
Other social media users also weighed in on Hegseth and his staffers’ faux pas in Arlington. For instance, an Instagram commenter wrote, “The rules at the tomb are very clear and he disregarded them.”
Another irritated commenter posted, “In addition to the loud disrespectful noise, they were using it as a backdrop for a photo-op.” Another critical comment read, “Pete Hegseth never fails to disappoint.”
“Protect this soldier is right! Hope he does not get reprimanded,” one person suggested. Similarly, someone declared, “So proud of this soldier, hope he’s going to be ok.”
Even Food Network star Sunny Anderson, who served in the Air Force, shared her disgust over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier situation. The self-described army brat left a scathing comment on Instagram.
“I’M DISGUSTED. I have been there to honor my fellow military members. I’ve been there to interview the men and women that guard this cemetery. This is the ULTIMATE DISRESPECT,” Anderson, 51, asserted.
Hegseth may have turned the soldier’s reprimand into a public show of support, but the gesture hasn’t erased the moment that set off the backlash.
Critics wanted an apology from the defense secretary, not another photo-op. And with Jake Tapper and Sunny Anderson among those calling him out, the medal ceremony may not be the last word on Hegseth’s Veterans Day misstep.
