Secretary of War Pete Hegseth fired back at protesters Thursday after they tried to drown out his remarks at a National Guard event in Washington, D.C. The protesters shouted, blew whistles, and made noise outside the ceremony as Hegseth addressed guardsmen gathered at Meridian Hill Park. Rather than ignore the interruption, Hegseth used the noise as part of his message to the troops standing in front of him.
The July 2nd event was a “D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force” ceremony held at Meridian Hill Park, also known by some residents as Malcolm X Park. Hegseth was there to recognize National Guard members serving in the Capitol and to mark the restoration of the park’s fountain. The event came just ahead of Independence Day celebrations tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“Thank you for waiting out here in the sun,” Hegseth told the guardsmen. He apologized for being late, saying he had been held up by a meeting. He then told the guardsmen he understood what it was like to stand in formation waiting for someone to arrive, before contrasting the disruption with the work of the troops standing in front of him.
“And that’s the beautiful part about what you do,” Hegseth said. “You do your job no matter what.” He then gestured toward the noise around the event and said, “In fact, this background noise this morning is perfect.” Hegseth described it as, “the sound of ingrates, of ingratitude,” and said the protesters were “so blinded by ideology they can’t see law and order and common sense in front of them.”
Hegseth told the guardsmen that there was “nothing ideological” about the people standing in formation and “nothing political” about the mission. He said law and order is something all Americans deserve, regardless of race, income, sex, or where they live. He then pointed to the guardsmen as people who came from across the country to help keep the Capitol safe during the 250th year of the Republic.
The Secretary kept his focus on the troops, telling them that though most were not from D.C., the city was still their Capitol. He said they believed it should be “safe” and “secure” for the people who live there and for the people who come to visit. He also praised them for doing their work in bad weather, high heat, and difficult conditions.
Hegseth returned to the protesters again later in the speech, saying, “See, these ingrates will fade away. They’ll go back to wherever they came from. You will do your job.” He said the troops would keep working “professionally, with courage, boldly,” assisting with arrests and helping people who need help. Hegseth also credited President Donald Trump and Stephen Miller for pushing the D.C. mission and said the media would not want to credit them for falling crime numbers.
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Hegseth closed by calling the guardsmen the “real 1%” of America because they had raised their right hands to serve something bigger than themselves. He also paused for a moment of silence for Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Seargant Andrew Wolfe, saying Beckstrom had died and Wolfe had nearly been killed in the line of duty. Hegseth told the guardsmen that future generations would stand on their shoulders and said the department had their backs in the mission.
Watch Hegseth respond to the protesters here:
Hegseth was joined at the ceremony by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Air Force General Steven Nordhaus, and other officials. More than 500 guardsmen attended the event, where administration officials praised the National Guard’s work in the city and defended the Trump administration’s broader push to clean up parks, monuments, fountains, and public spaces.
The Department of War reported that roughly 5,000 guardsmen were participating in the “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful” mission, with about half recently called up ahead of the July 4th weekend. The Department said the mission was established by a March 2025 executive order and is meant to coordinate with law enforcement and urban maintenance efforts to reduce crime, support immigration enforcement, and improve public spaces and monuments across the city.
A Department of War public schedule listed the event as a 9 a.m. ceremony with the National Guard at Meridian Hill Park. As Hegseth began speaking, protesters could be heard making noise nearby. NBC Washington reported that demonstrators shouted “Guard, go home!” and “Say it loud, say it clear: Immigrants are welcome here!” while using whistles and drums directly outside the event.
The Department of War’s writeup of the event cited Metropolitan Police Department statistics showing overall crime in the District down 22% from 2025, with homicides down 44%, robberies down 20%, and motor vehicle theft down 54%. Nordhaus also told the guardsmen they had saved more than 235 lives and helped return children to their families 27 times. Miller said he had heard from parents who told their children to stand near National Guard members when waiting to be picked up.