Hegseth blasts protesters at ceremony for D. C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force: ‘Ingrates’ - EUROPE SAYS
Defense SecretaryPete Hegsethon Thursday derided protesters at an event in Washington, D. C. , tied to theAmerica 250 celebrations, calling the demonstrators “ingrates” who are “blinded by ideology. ”TheD. C. . . .
Defense SecretaryPete Hegsethon Thursday derided protesters at an event in Washington, D. C. , tied to theAmerica 250 celebrations, calling the demonstrators “ingrates” who are “blinded by ideology. ”TheD. C. Safe and Beautiful Task Forceevent in Meridian Hill Park was set to begin at 9 a. m. ET but did not start until roughly 30 minutes later, as members of the National Guard waited for Hegseth’s arrival amid a brutal heat wave. Protesters shouted during his brief address, in which he said he was to blame for the delay and praised the troops for their service. “In fact, this background noise this morning is perfect,” Hegseth said about the protesters, with White House adviser Stephen Miller and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche standing behind him. “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,” Hegseth said. “That there’s nothing ideological about this group, there’s nothing political about this exercise. ”Some protesters could be heard shouting “Shame!” and “Guard, go home!”RecommendedClarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News. © 2026 Versant Media, LLCTags:Dødpentagonpete hegsethSecretary of Defense