Anti-war protesters disrupt Pentagon chief’s Senate hearing

A group of anti-war protesters wearing “No War on Iran” t-shirts silently demonstrated behind US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during his opening statement Tuesday before a Senate subcommittee hearing on military funding and the conflict with Iran.

The protesters stood quietly behind Hegseth for several moments before Capitol Police escorted them from the hearing room.

Another protester interrupted Hegseth’s opening remarks.

“If you approve this budget, you will be complicit in the war crimes of this administration,” she shouted before officers escorted her from the chamber.

The hearing focused on the administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget and military operations involving Iran. Hegseth defended the spending proposal as necessary to rebuild military readiness and maintain deterrence amid rising tensions in the Middle East.