A pro-Palestinian protester heckled Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday during his testimony to the GOP-led House Foreign Affairs Committee about the Afghanistan withdrawal.
A protester called the secretary of state a "slimebag," among other comments that the person hurdled during Blinken's opening statement. Blinken's opening statement was repeatedly interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters who were demonstrating against the war in Gaza. Earlier during Blinken's statement, another protester, before being removed from the hearing, yelled, “Secretary Blinken! Secretary of genocide."
"Holding up signs or making verbal outbursts during the proceedings is disruptive and will not be tolerated," the Texas Republican chairman, Rep. Michael McCaul, said, responding to an outburst. "Any disruption will result in a suspension of the proceedings."
During the hearing, House Republicans grilled the secretary of state as he defended the Biden administration's decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan in 2021.
"I firmly believe the president's decision to withdraw from Afghanistan was the right one," Blinken told the committee.
