Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth talks to the media on the day of a meeting of NATO defense ministers at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was furious as demonstrators overpowered Trump administration officials speaking to a crowd of National Guard members on Thursday.
Hegseth, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Steven Nordhaus were speaking to the group of about 200 guard members ahead of the Fourth of July at Meridian Hill Park when the sounds of booing and sirens started to drown out the speeches.
"This background noise this morning is perfect," Hegseth said. "It's the sound of ingrates, of ingratitude, of people who are so blinded by ideology they can't see law and order and common sense in front of them."
Pete Hegseth: "This background noise is perfect. It's the sound of ingrates, of ingratitude, of people who are so blinded by ideology they can't see law and order and common sense in front of them." pic.twitter.com/aWt5ciuRG3
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 2, 2026
