Protesters Disrupt Drone Warfare Panel at U.S. Army Conference

Protesters shouted at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other military leaders on Wednesday during a panel on drones at the U.S. Army's annual conference in Washington. The six protesters voiced concerns regarding the war with Iran and President Trump's proposed $1.5 trillion military budget for the upcoming year. The speakers acknowledged the disruptions but continued their discussion, which initially focused on the need to open more military contracts to smaller businesses for drone development. Some audience members chanted 'USA, USA' to counter the protesters, but the panel continued as the protesters were removed one by one. Hegseth stated that the U.S. military has gained insights into drone warfare from Ukraine, while also noting the vulnerability of Ukraine's reliance on Chinese parts. He remarked, 'We've learned a lot from Ukraine, but you can't use everything that's in Ukraine because of all the Chinese components involved in it. So you've got to be able to ensure that we take the best of that and the lessons learned.' Since Russia's invasion over four years ago, Ukraine has emerged as a leader in military drone innovation, but its manufacturers are heavily reliant on electronics from China, which poses concerns about access to critical components. Ukraine fears that the Chinese government may limit its access to these parts and that Russian defense companies might receive preferential treatment from Chinese factories.