FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 23, 2026

Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected] 

CODEPINK Demands Media Address the War Criminals in the Room at White House Correspondents’ Dinner Protest

WASHINGTON, D.C. – CODEPINK and other peace and justice organizations will hold a protest as journalists, administration officials, and political elites gather for the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, rebranding it the “War Crimes Correspondents’ Dinner.” Special guests of the evening include President Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth, both of whom are guilty of war crimes and increasing fascist attacks on people here in the United States.

The protest will also honor Palestinian press martyrs, the hundreds of journalists who lost their lives documenting the U.S.-Israeli genocide of Palestinians.

At the protest, CODEPINK plans to launch its ‘Arrest Hegseth Campaign, which demands that the media put the Secretary of War on the hot seat for his war crimes. The campaign follows Hegseth’s refusal to respond to a series of questions submitted by members of Congress after U.S. forces, under his oversight, bombed a school in Minab, Iran, killing nearly 200 children, most of them young girls. Congress asked Hegseth a series of questions to learn how the school was selected as a target, what efforts were made to limit civilian harm, and what role artificial intelligence played in the decision. The deadline Congress set for answers passed without any response from Hegseth. 

“If Congress couldn’t get answers from Secretary Hegseth, you would think outlets like CBS would step up and demand them on air, as real journalists should. Instead, they’re inviting him to dinner,’ explained CODEPINK national co-director Danaka Katovich.

“Hegseth not only oversaw the bombing of a school that killed 168 little girls, but he has also repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran’s energy infrastructure, a clear war crime. Intentionally destroying power grids means hospitals go dark, ventilators stop, incubators fail, and millions of innocent people die. Yet the media treats these threats like a bluff. They forget his hands are already dripping with the blood of children. And at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, they’ll sit across from him as if nothing happened. That is not journalism. That is complicity,’ she continued.

The duty now falls on the media to do their job and get answers for the public. The ‘Arrest Hegseth Media Campaign’ is demanding answers to the following questions, the very ones Hegseth refused to address when Congress raised them:

• Why was the decision made to carry out strikes on the Minab girls’ school? What was the assessed risk of civilian harm, and what steps were taken to prevent it?
• What role, if any, did artificial intelligence play in selecting targets, assessing intelligence, and making legal determinations during Operation Epic Fury? If AI was used, was it subject to human review, and at what stage? Specifically, were systems such as the Maven Smart System or outsourced AI tools like Claude or OpenAI used to identify the Shajareh Tayyebeh school as a target? If so, was that determination verified by a human?
• What steps is the Department taking to prevent and mitigate civilian harm in planning and targeting during Operation Epic Fury? Is it coordinating with Israeli forces to ensure both countries are implementing policies designed to minimize civilian casualties, such as Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response measures?
• Please describe the Department’s process for target selection and review in Operation Epic Fury. Has the Department employed red-teaming or civilian environment teams to reduce harm? If so, how effective have these measures been? How many personnel are dedicated to civilian harm mitigation and response in this operation?
• Why shouldn’t you be arrested for war crimes?

The campaign launched at the WHCD is only the beginning of a broader public pressure effort aimed at holding media outlets accountable for failing to do their jobs, and at holding Hegseth accountable by requiring him to answer to the public for his war crimes.

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