Hegseth mocks 'war criminal' taunts as anti-war activists disrupt Army event with loud slogans
WASHINGTON, DC: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, on Wednesday, October 14, faced repeated interruptions from anti-war demonstrators during a major Army conference in Washington, DC, but he continued defending the Trump administration’s position on Iran.
Protesters shouted accusations at the Pentagon chief during a panel discussion on military technology, prompting sarcastic retorts from Hegseth and intervention by event security.
As the disruptions continued, he suggested the demonstrators were following a deliberate tactic.
wow -- Hegseth's talk at a conference is disrupted four separate times in succession by anti-Iran war protesters https://t.co/kIS6pJsB0l
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 14, 2026
Pete Hegseth refuses to get intimidated
The discussion turned confrontational, with anti-war demonstrators repeatedly breaking in as Hegseth spoke during the event.
Five or more interruptions were recorded in the first half-hour, with protesters positioned at different points around the room taking turns challenging the defense secretary.
Someoene shouted “war criminal” and “coward,” while another questioned Hegseth’s military credentials and brought up Gaza.
Rather than allowing the interruptions to derail the session, Hegseth responded with sarcasm.
After a woman heckled him, he laughed and told the audience, “She thinks highly of me,” drawing applause.
As more voices rang out from across the room, Hegseth suggested the repeated disruptions were part of a coordinated effort, remarking, “Appears we have a bit of a tactic.”
He later turned to the protesters’ anti-war message, insisting that “Iran really will never have a nuclear weapon” and dismissing their chants as slogans.
Security personnel escorted the demonstrators out, but the commotion did not immediately end.
Speakers carried on with the discussion over the remaining noise instead of stopping each time someone shouted.
The session brought together Hegseth, acting Army Secretary Adam Telle, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink and Derrick Anderson, assistant secretary for special operations and low-intensity conflict.
Their discussion centered on 'Project Agincourt', a Pentagon effort to fast-track autonomous warfare capabilities, from drones to robotic systems.
Officials have yet to disclose how the protesters obtained the credentials needed to enter the event.
Not the first time for Pete Hegseth
The latest confrontation follows several protests against Hegseth during congressional hearings on the Iran conflict.
On April 30, a demonstrator interrupted his remarks at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, calling him a “war criminal” and demanding his arrest.
Capitol Police removed the protester from the room as Hegseth continued speaking.
At a May 12 hearing, demonstrators wearing “No War on Iran” shirts stood behind Hegseth.
One protester subsequently interrupted the proceedings, accusing lawmakers who supported the administration’s proposed defense budget of being complicit in alleged war crimes.
In July, protesters again disrupted a Senate hearing on the cost of the Iran war, accusing the administration of responsibility for civilian suffering.
