Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth apparently thought he could turn an embarrassing Veterans Day incident at Arlington National Cemetery into a feel-good photo opportunity. But the internet had other ideas.
Hegseth posted a photo Thursday showing himself pinning a Joint Service Commendation Medal on the chest of the unidentified soldier who confronted his group at Arlington National Cemetery.
“We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist,” Hegseth wrote. “Carry on Patriots.”
The gesture might have been intended to put the controversy behind him. Instead, it reignited the backlash, with critics accusing the Pentagon chief of turning an embarrassing moment into another photo opportunity.
The incident happened Tuesday, on Veterans Day, when Hegseth, his wife Jennifer and three senior members of his team visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The tomb has served as the final resting place for unidentified American service members since 1921. It is one of the country’s most solemn military memorials, where visitors are expected to maintain silence and show respect.
But video from the visit showed members of Hegseth’s entourage chatting and chuckling as they climbed the steps overlooking the tomb.
That’s when the Army sentinel stepped in.
The soldier, a member of the 3rd Infantry Regiment — better known as The Old Guard — forcefully reminded the group of the rules.
“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!” the sentinel shouted.
The video quickly spread across social media, drawing criticism over the group’s behavior at a memorial dedicated to Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice.
And while Hegseth’s latest post celebrates the soldier, plenty of people weren’t buying the gesture.
The reactions were particularly brutal, with commenters accusing Hegseth of hypocrisy, demanding an apology and praising the sentinel for doing his job.
X user Karma didn’t hold back: “We love a photo op. We have no standards. Well done, Posturing. Carry on War Criminal.”
“Soldiers can’t stand you traitor. YOU were so effing disrespectful at one of our country’s most sacred sites that he had to break away from his duties to shut you up. Disgusting and disgraceful,” wrote Randy Bryce.
User @JoJoFromJerz wrote: “You are a disgrace to the heroic men and women of our military. Resign.”
AuntSusie questioned whether Hegseth had even acknowledged what happened: “Did you acknowledge your inappropriate behavior and apologize? Or is this just another photo op?”
The Unseen Majority praised the soldier while delivering a blunt message to the defense secretary.
“You Should Respect Your Soldiers Past And Present… GET LOST PETE HEGSETH! You’re A National Embarrassment! @SecWar @PeteHegseth GOD BLESS THIS SOLDIER!”
Commander Cody suggested Hegseth had little choice but to award the soldier after the video went viral: “You had no choice but to give him a medal. If you chose to be a dickhead you’d have your base calling for your head 💀”
Matthew Lauseng was equally direct. “You’re a disgrace to the military and the country,” he wrote.
The account Republicans Against Trump added: “You’re a total disgrace.”
Autisticwanderer went further, making a series of personal allegations and demanding Hegseth resign: “No you don’t, you drunk wife beating Asshole. Resign, Fuck you and your numerous ‘innocent people have these all the time’ NDAs.”
User @Doctor_Disney accused Hegseth of trying to repair his public image: “Trying to make up for being incredibly disrespectful. You don’t deserve to even touch the fatigues of this soldier.”
Juice questioned Hegseth’s commitment to the troops: “You love using them as cannon fodder. You don’t give a shit about the soldiers or Americans. Your a religious fanatic and a Zionist lackey. Not to mention dumb as hell. Never have I seen a less qualified person in your position.”
Another commenter wrote: “Is this how you show love to soldiers? Sit down and fuck off.”
And Debbie had one final question for the defense secretary: “Where is your apology, you fucking piece of shit 😡”
In other words, Hegseth’s medal announcement did little to quiet the criticism. If anything, it gave critics another reason to revisit the original video.
See more reactions below:
@SecWar @DOWResponse You’re a disgrace to the military and the country. https://t.co/xDWatMEjDg
— Matthew Lauseng (@MatthewLauseng) November 12, 2026
