NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Protesters repeatedly interrupted War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s appearance at the military’s largest annual conference Wednesday, calling him a “war criminal” and a “coward” in protest against the war in Iran.
At least five times during the first half hour of a panel, crude anti-war protesters shouted at Hegseth, calling him a “fucking Nazi” among other insults.
Hegseth initially responded with laughter and sarcastic comments – but his reactions became increasingly curt and irritated as he criticized the “semi-coordinated” attack as protesters emerged one by one from the crowd in Washington, DC.
A protester is removed after interrupting a discussion with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during the 2026 U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exhibition at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center October 14, 2026, in Washington, DC. Secretary Hegseth participated in a discussion on the future of autonomous warfare. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) 2026 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, DC, October 14, 2026. The AUSA Meeting and Exhibition is a defense trade show and networking event for the global defense community. (Jim WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
PETE HEGSETH GOES TO CAPITOL HILL TO DEFEND TRUMP’S WAR IN IRAN AS 60-DAY CONGRESS DEADLINE IMMES
“You are not a warrior, you are a coward!” » shouted a demonstrator in Hegseth. “The children of Gaza are starving! He’s a war criminal!”
“She thinks highly of me,” the Pentagon chief joked after an outburst, which drew brief applause from the crowd.
Protesters were spread across the room and waited a few minutes between explosions to interrupt the panel with their anti-war messages. As Hegseth saw a pattern emerging among the outbreaks, he recognized, “It seems we have a little tactic. »
“The demonstrators are chanting slogans: Iran will truly never have nuclear weapons,” he added later.
Protesters were forcibly removed by security for the event – at least one woman had to be removed from the room by several officers as she continued to shout her protest.
A protester is removed by security personnel as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during the 2026 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, DC, October 14, 2026. The AUSA Meeting and Exhibition is a defense trade show and networking event for the global defense community. (Jim WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
“The First Amendment right to protest is fundamental. However, everyone who registers to attend the annual meeting and enters the convention center does so after agreeing to abide by a code of conduct, so protesters’ outbursts were certainly not appropriate at today’s forum,” the Association of the United States Army said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“The Acting Secretary of the Army organized, and we were honored to host, a historic forum to discuss a critical issue that directly affects national security. We are grateful for the quick action of Security and the Metropolitan Police Department to ensure this important discussion could continue.”
The panel with Hegseth included Acting Secretary of the Army Adam Telle, Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink and Assistant Secretary for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict Derrick Anderson.
As the disruption continued, speakers stopped amid the din of shouting and tried to speak over the demonstrators.
It’s unclear how protesters received credentials to attend the event known as AUSA, which largely brings together the military’s top brass and the defense contractors who service them. The event set an attendance record of 41,000 people this year.
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY HAS NEW ARMY LEADERS WARNING TROOPS CAN’T “AI” THEIR WAY TO VICTORY ON THE BATTLEFIELD
A protester is removed by security personnel as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during the 2026 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, DC, October 14, 2026. The AUSA Meeting and Exhibition is a defense trade show and networking event for the global defense community. (Jim WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
The panel focused on Project Azincourt, the Pentagon’s initiative to accelerate the development and deployment of autonomous weapons and military systems.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Hegseth joined senior leaders from the service branches to discuss how the Army plans to integrate drones, robotics and other autonomous technologies.
Gn headline
