On April 29, 2026, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth faced intense backlash and was confronted by protesters who called him a “war criminal” upon his arrival at a House Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington
The accusation was echoed by Democratic Representative Seth Moulton, who told CNN’s Erin Burnett that Hegseth was “guilty” of war crimes in relation to his actions and testimony regarding the ongoing conflict in Iran
During the hearing, Hegseth defended his previous statements indicating that U.S. troops should show “no mercy” to enemies, which Rep. Moulton noted is a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and international law.
Lawmakers questioned Hegseth about a deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school that resulted in the deaths of over 165 people, including children.
Hegseth dismissed the criticisms as politically motivated, calling the accusations “fabricated inflammatory derogatory reporting”
