Politics · November 12, 2026
Hegseth awards medal to soldier who reprimanded his group at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal to Spc. Thomas Iglesias on Thursday at the Pentagon. The award followed a Veterans Day incident at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in which Iglesias, a member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (the Old Guard), reprimanded Hegseth’s group for talking and laughing near the memorial. Hegseth, who attended the initial wreath-laying ceremony with President Trump, praised the soldier on social media for his adherence to military standards. A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed the medal was given for the proper execution of the soldier's duties.
Read the original coverage
- Associated PressAllSides: Lean LeftMBFC: Left-Center
Hegseth awards soldier who scolded him and his aides at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Read at Associated Press ↗ Pete Hegseth, a Soldier’s Scolding and a Lesson at the Tomb of Unknowns
Read at The New York Times ↗Hegseth awards medal to soldier who admonished him, his team at Tomb of the Unknowns
Read at Washington Post ↗- Fox NewsAllSides: Right (Digital)MBFC: Right
Soldier who scolded Hegseth's entourage at Tomb of Unknown Soldier receives special honor from Pentagon chief
Read at Fox News ↗ - NBC NewsMBFC: Left-Center
Hegseth Reprimanded at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Read at NBC News ↗ - CBS NewsMBFC: Right-Center
Hegseth awards medal to soldier who reprimanded his group at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Read at CBS News ↗ - NPRMBFC: Left-Center
Hegseth awards medal to soldier who chastised him
Read at NPR ↗ Hegseth Awards Soldier Who Admonished His Party on Veterans Day
Read at Bloomberg ↗- The GuardianMBFC: Left-Center
Pete Hegseth awards medal to soldier who reprimanded him near Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Read at The Guardian ↗ - Washington TimesMBFC: Right-Center
Hegseth awards medal to Tomb of the Unknown Soldier sentry who reprimanded defense secretary's group
Read at Washington Times ↗ - The Daily WireMBFC: Right
Hegseth Awards Medal To Soldier Who Scolded His Entourage On Veterans Day
Read at The Daily Wire ↗ - PBS NewsMBFC: Left-Center
Hegseth presents award to soldier who scolded him and his aides at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Read at PBS News ↗
Reported across the spectrum
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded Spc. Thomas Iglesias the Joint Service Commendation Medal.
- The award ceremony took place at the Pentagon on Thursday morning.
- Spc. Thomas Iglesias is a member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard.
- Iglesias reprimanded Hegseth’s group at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans Day for making noise or failing to maintain silence.
- Hegseth posted photos of the medal presentation on social media with the caption 'We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist.'
- The reprimand occurred following a Veterans Day event at Arlington National Cemetery attended by President Trump.
Reported by only some outlets
- CBS News reported that Hegseth's wife and chief of staff were part of the group posing for photos near the tomb.
- The Daily Wire and CBS News noted that Hegseth used the title 'Secretary of War' in his social media handle.
- The Washington Post reported that video of the incident elicited furious backlash from critics of the defense secretary.
- The Daily Wire mentioned that chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated the department stood behind Iglesias.
Left-leaning outlets tend to emphasize…
characterize the incident as a 'stunning moment' that sparked 'furious backlash' and emphasize that Hegseth himself was personally 'scolded' or 'admonished' for disrespectful behavior
Right-leaning outlets tend to emphasize…
highlight Hegseth’s appreciation for military 'standards' and 'patriots' while utilizing the archaic title 'War Secretary' to describe his role
Centrist outlets tend to focus on…
focus on the irony of the Secretary of Defense being disciplined by a subordinate and his subsequent decision to formally reward that enforcement of standards
Where coverage diverges
Coverage diverges along left/right lines — see Framing tab for specifics.
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About these outlets
- CBS NewsMBFC: Right-Center
- Associated PressAllSides: Lean LeftMBFC: Left-Center
- The Washington TimesMBFC: Right-Center
- PBS NewsMBFC: Left-Center
- The Daily WireMBFC: Right
- The GuardianMBFC: Left-Center
- The Washington PostAllSides: Lean Left (News)MBFC: Left-Center
- BloombergAllSides: CenterMBFC: Left-Center
- NBC NewsMBFC: Left-Center
- Fox NewsAllSides: Right (Digital)MBFC: Right
- The New York TimesAllSides: Lean Left (News)MBFC: Left-Center
- NPRMBFC: Left-Center
CadNews does not determine absolute truth or endorse political viewpoints. It compares publicly available reporting, identifies shared facts, highlights framing differences, and flags uncertainty.