Defense Secretary Hegseth faced boos and heckling from military families who were protesting the push for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

 Last week, Hegseth issued a memo prohibiting transgender individuals from enlisting in the military and imposing restrictions on certain educational materials in Defense Department schools.

Pete Hegseth at Capitol Hill last month.

Feb. 11, 2025, 7:25 PM GMT+6

Military families protested the Defense Department's anti-DEI stance by heckling Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth upon his arrival at the U.S. European Command headquarters in Germany on Tuesday. During his visit to the key European military hub in Stuttgart, Hegseth faced boos from about two dozen base residents, apparently demonstrating against the policies being enacted under the Trump administration.

The protesters chanted "DEI," likely in reference to the recent ban Hegseth imposed on certain books in Department of Defense schools. Last week, Hegseth restricted learning materials covering topics like psychology and immigration. He also issued a memo stating that the military would no longer allow transgender individuals to enlist or undergo gender transition-related procedures.

In the memo, Hegseth wrote, “Effective immediately, all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria are paused. All unscheduled, scheduled, or planned medical procedures associated with affirming or facilitating a gender transition for service members are paused.”

One protester carried a rainbow-patterned umbrella, a symbol often associated with LGBTQ+ rights. These actions are part of a broader Trump administration effort to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) roles within federal agencies, particularly in the military.

Trump's administration previously signed several executive orders affecting the military, including one that banned transgender people from enlisting or serving openly and another limiting DEI initiatives.

Protests by military families against a defense secretary are uncommon, though not unprecedented for Hegseth. During his Senate confirmation hearing last month, he was interrupted by protesters who criticized his support for Israel's conflict with Hamas. Despite the disruptions, Hegseth was confirmed with a vote by Vice President J.D. Vance, marking a rare instance where the vice president had to cast a tie-breaking vote for a Cabinet nominee.