USAupdated 1h ago2 min read
Anti-War Protesters Heckle Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at AUSA Meeting in Washington, D.C.
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Protesters interrupted an AUSA panel in Washington, DC, accusing Hegseth of war crimes. They derailed discussion on autonomous warfare and unmanned weapons during the event.
Hegseth Heckled in Washington
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced repeated interruptions from anti-war protesters during a panel at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., as demonstrators denounced the U.S. war with Iran and referenced Gaza.
A protester shouted, “Children in Gaza are starving!” while another yelled, “You’re killing my family,” as security personnel removed demonstrators individually and the panel continued between outbursts.
Hegseth brushed off the disruptions and kept speaking, telling the crowd, “She thinks highly of me,” after referring to a demonstrator in a remark that drew laughter and applause.
Hegseth defended the Trump administration’s military strategy by saying the U.S. must ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, and he tied the effort to a $1.5 trillion investment in defense.
Hegseth also argued that the U.S. must rebuild its military to counter what he described as an unprecedented military buildup by China, while the panel discussed Project Agincourt and autonomous warfare at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Protesters, removal, and rebuttals
Protesters interrupted the roughly hour-long discussion multiple times, and one demonstrator accused military leadership of profiting from bombs that killed members of the protester’s family. Hegseth responded to the interruptions by saying, “Appears we have a bit of a tactic,” as demonstrators continued shouting condemnations of the U.S. war with Iran. The Association of the United States Army said in a statement provided to Fox News that the First Amendment right to protest is fundamental, but registered attendees must follow the conference’s code of conduct.
The Association of the US Army also said the interruptions violated those rules and thanked security and Metropolitan Police for allowing the discussion to continue, while the panel continued discussing the Pentagon’s plans to deploy autonomous systems. Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson dismissed the protesters as “performative, left-wing activists” and said Hegseth was not deterred by the disruptions.
Autonomous warfare plans at stake
Hegseth used the panel to defend the Pentagon’s push to accelerate autonomous warfare through Project Agincourt, which he described as intended to speed development and purchase of drones, robots and other autonomous systems.
Hegseth announced the initiative Sept. 30 alongside plans for an Autonomous Warfare Command, a four-star organization intended to coordinate autonomous systems across the armed services.
The Pentagon wants the command operating by Oct. 1, 2027, but establishing it will require congressional action, according to the panel coverage.
Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, and Derrick Anderson, the assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, joined the discussion as Owen West moderated.
Hegseth also reiterated his call for a $1.5 trillion investment in defense, while the disruptions and chants of “USA, USA” underscored the political fight over the war with Iran and the proposed spending.