Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced an unexpected reception during his visit to the United States European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, Tuesday. As he arrived at the base, a group of military families gathered, repeatedly chanting "DEI" in protest of recent Trump administration policy overhauls.
The demonstration, which lasted only a few minutes, was in response to Hegseth's recent moves, including restricting books covering psychology and immigration in Department of Defense (DOD) schools. Last week, Hegseth issued a military-wide ban on transgender enlistments and prohibited gender-affirming medical care for service members.
A very small group of protesters shouting “DEI” greeted @SecDef @PeteHegseth at the EUCOM HQs. Not sure who they were, but they have base access. 😳
— Kristina Wong 🇺🇸 (@kristina_wong) February 11, 2025
Here’s the tail end of it: pic.twitter.com/2AoyeXd4R7
"Effective immediately, all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria are paused," said Hegseth in the memo. "All unscheduled, scheduled, or planned medical procedures associated with affirming or facilitating a gender transition for Service members are paused."
ON THE DOCKET: The Pentagon reveals a new memo from Secretary Hegseth pausing all accessions for transgender recruits and pausing all related medical procedures.
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) February 10, 2025
Memo also says transgender people currently serving "will be treated with dignity and respect," delegates decisions… pic.twitter.com/jxhAgHAcHj
One protester held an umbrella adorned with the LGBTQ+ flag. The protest symbolizes global tensions over the administration's push to dismantle DEI initiatives across the federal government. The ACLU is calling it a "shock and awe" campaign to overturn bipartisan policy.
Hegseth also recently announced an end to all government-funded cultural observances, including Black History Month and Women's History Month, arguing they "threaten mission execution."
Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran, has become a lightning rod for controversy. Protests against defense secretaries are rare. Historically, demonstrations have focused on broader military policies rather than individual leaders. Yet Hegseth has already faced multiple demonstrations as protesters repeatedly disrupted his confirmation hearing.
