Pete Hegseth Heckled by Protesters During Drone Warfare Speech as Multiple People Are Removed

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been a vocal advocate for drone warfare throughout his tenure, but his vision hasn't been met with universal support.

During a recent U.S. Army panel on the future of drone warfare, several protesters were forcibly removed from the room as Hegseth outlined his plans.

The protesters didn't hold back on their feelings. “The world f------- hates you!” one yelled. “You’re a f------- war criminal! You’re a N---!”

Hegseth looked perturbed but said little except to mock the protesters. “It appears we have a bit of a tactic. She thinks highly of me,” he said of a woman who cried out, “You’re not a warrior, you’re a coward,” as panelists chuckled and audience members chanted “USA, USA.” At least six people were removed from the event.

During the conference, Hegseth noted that Ukraine has been a leader in drone warfare during their defense against Russia’s invasion, but he wants the United States to pursue its own path. "We've learned a lot from Ukraine, but you can't use everything that's in Ukraine because of all the Chinese components involved in it," he said. "So you've got to be able to ensure that we take the best of that and the lessons learned."

Hegseth has made drones a centerpiece of his time as secretary. Earlier this year, at his annual "State of the Force" speech, he announced plans to create a new combatant command named Autonomous Warfare Command, or AUTOWARCOM, which will integrate drone plans across services.

He also established Project Agincourt to oversee the transition, and Project Meridian, to “identify the domains that we must conquer and capabilities we must master.” The latter will be overseen by Elon Musk, Newt Gingrich and Palmer Luckey, founder of defense contractor Anduril.

The protest was part of a continual parade of controversy that has followed the Defense Department. Members of President Donald Trump’s family have been criticized for potentially profiting from drone contracts, including with Anduril.

In September, Hegseth faced fierce backlash over a speech announcing AUTOWARCOM and Project Meridian, with critics slamming his military fitness standards as "body-shaming" and taking issue with his controversial “no beardos, no weirdos” remark.