The tension around Pete Hegseth refuses to die down. The day after a chaotic first hearing on the war in Iran before Congress, the U.S. Secretary of Defense was once again targeted on Thursday, April 30, this time during his opening statement.
As he was presenting his arguments on the Pentagon budget and U.S. military strategy, a voice rose in the room. “Hegseth, you are a war criminal,” shouted a protester holding a pink sign. “You should be arrested. What you are doing is abominable. The American people do not want this war.”
The intervention was brief, and security agents immediately stepped in to remove the protester. Amidst the confusion, part of the room reacted before the committee president, Republican Senator Roger Wicker, regained control.
“We appreciate Americans’ right to express themselves guaranteed by the First Amendment, but any disruption of this hearing will not be tolerated,” he warned.
“Our ‘greatest adversary’ are ‘the defeatist and irresponsible speeches of some Democrats,'” read the subtitle.
The day before, protesters hostile to U.S. and Israeli intervention in Iran had interrupted the session, calling it a “war criminal” act.
But beyond these interruptions, it is mainly the substance of his speech that continues to create friction. Facing senators, the Pentagon chief defended a massive military budget of around $1.5 trillion, which he deems essential to “rebuild” American power and put the defense establishment “on a war footing.”
In his statement, he emphasized the need to accelerate industrial production and strengthen military capabilities, while promising an army capable of “inspiring fear” in U.S. adversaries. He also praised the effects of Donald Trump’s policies, accusing previous administrations of weakening the military.
Pete Hegseth also took a tougher stance against his political opponents. “The greatest adversary we face today are the defeatist and irresponsible speeches of some Democrats and a few Republicans,” he declared, echoing a stance he had already taken the day before.
