Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was booed and heckled by military families protesting his actions against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Hegseth faced the protesters as he arrived at the U.S. European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, on Tuesday, according to NBC News.
Around two dozen people who live at the U.S. military’s top European headquarters turned up, seemingly in protest at the Trump administration’s policy of dismantling DEI initiatives.
The protesters chanted “DEI” in an apparent reference to a ban enacted by Hegseth on some books in defense department schools. Last week, the secretary ordered the restriction of education materials, including materials covering psychology and immigration.
Similarly, Hegseth said in a memo last week that transgender people would not be allowed to join the military and that the armed forces would stop facilitating gender transition procedures for service members.
“Effective immediately, all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria are paused,” said Hegseth. “All unscheduled, scheduled, or planned medical procedures associated with affirming or facilitating a gender transition for Service members are paused.”
One of the demonstrators at the base in Stuttgart was holding a rainbow-colored umbrella, a pattern commonly associated with LGBTQ+ causes.
The Trump administration as a whole has taken significant steps to remove federal employees working on DEI initiatives, often specifically focusing on the military.
President Donald Trump signed four executive orders during his first week back in the White House affecting the military. One of them prohibits transgender people from joining the military and serving openly, and another takes aim at DEI efforts.
While protests by military families are rare, Hegseth was also heckled repeatedly during the opening statement of his confirmation heading. One accused him of being a “Christian Zionist” because of his support for Israel’s war in Gaza against Hamas.
The former Fox News host and combat veteran was confirmed by the Senate, but only after Vice President J.D. Vance cast a tie-breaking vote. It was only the second time in U.S. history that a vice president had to break a tie for cabinet nominee, NBC News noted.
Hegseth overcame significant hurdles on his way to confirmation, with serious doubt being shared by some senators over his qualifications and past behavior, including allegations of excessive drinking, financial mismanagement, and sexual assault — allegations he strenuously denied as “anonymous smears.” He also faced criticism for his previous comments that women shouldn’t serve in combat roles.
