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pete hegseth A Washington defense event on Wednesday was disrupted four times in four minutes by protesters calling the Pentagon chief a “coward” and a “war criminal.” The defense secretary was chairing a panel on autonomous warfare at the U.S. Army’s 2026 Annual Meeting and Exposition when the disruption began.
Pete Hegseth quits Fox News after being cornered by protester
About 16 seconds after Hegseth spoke, the first protestor stood up and unfurled a banner that read, “No war on Iran!” As soon as Hegseth began with the line “This is an exciting time for the Army”, chanting began. Other protesters criticized Hegseth over the conflict with Iran and the situation of children in Gaza and the United States. “You are killing children in Gaza while children are starving in America!!” One shouted. Another shouted, “You’re not a war hero, you’re a coward!”
Security escorted the protesters from the room and escorted one out. After the first eviction, Hegseth responded by quipping: “She thinks a lot of me.” The Defense Secretary then talked about his television past. He told the audience, “The reality is that I feel quite comfortable here. These chairs and these lights—it feels like a television set.” He spent a decade at Fox News, where he co-hosted Fox & Friends.
Ultimately, after a disruption by protesters, Pete Hegseth returned to his prepared remarks. He promoted the administration’s “Arsenal of Freedom” initiative, which aims to rebuild the US defense industrial base, expand domestic manufacturing, and accelerate military procurement.
The disruption came as Hegseth faced criticism over his willingness to livestream the December execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan by firing squad, a plan that Trump and J.D. Vance also reportedly cast doubt on. The administration is also under pressure over the war in Iran, as oil and fuel prices are rising significantly. Trump has called the war “a small price to pay” to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.