Protesters Disrupt Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at Military Panel

Anti-war protesters interrupted Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth multiple times during an autonomous warfare panel at the U.S. Army’s 2026 Annual Meeting and Exposition. The event took place in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. Within about five minutes, protesters disrupted the session four times.

One protester shouted, “Children in Gaza are starving! He is a war criminal,” during the panel held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Another protester accused Hegseth of being a coward rather than a warrior.

Hegseth responded to one of the disruptions by commenting, “She thinks highly of me.” Despite being interrupted, he continued to address the audience. Security personnel escorted all six protesters out of the event.

The protests occurred amid ongoing opposition to U.S. military policies in the Middle East. The Trump administration has faced criticism over its support for Israel and its tactics in the Gaza conflict. Hegseth has been a key figure in the administration’s expanded military operations against Iran this year.

Earlier in the year, U.S. and Israeli forces conducted strikes against Iran. Hegseth and President Donald Trump defended the campaign as necessary to counter threats from Iran’s nuclear ambitions, missile program, navy, and other military capabilities.

Newsweek has contacted the Pentagon for comment via email. Further updates on this story will be provided.

For more details, reach out to Newsweek editors Samantha Beech and Sam Wilson.