Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, was forcibly removed and arrested at Senate hearing after screaming “Congress pays for bombs” during RFK Jr.’s testimony, highlighting a growing trend where political lines are blurring as conservatives embrace leftist voices who share their anti-war sentiments.
Key Takeaways
- Ben Cohen, 74, was arrested along with six others for disrupting a Senate HELP Committee hearing, specifically protesting U.S. funding of Israel’s military actions in Gaza
- The ice cream mogul shouted that “Congress is killing poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs” while cutting Medicaid for American children
- Conservative commentator Glenn Beck noted this arrest exemplifies how those “once silenced are now attempting to silence others” in today’s political landscape
- The incident reflects a growing trend where traditionally left-wing figures like Cohen are finding common ground with conservatives on anti-establishment and anti-war positions
- Cohen’s protest came during testimony from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who ironically might share similar views on military spending
Protest Disruption and Forceful Removal
Ben Cohen turned a routine Senate hearing into chaos on May 14, 2025, when he and several other protesters disrupted Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s testimony before the Senate HELP Committee. The 74-year-old ice cream mogul stood up approximately 15 minutes into the hearing, shouting “Congress pays for bombs” and criticizing American military spending. Capitol Police quickly moved in to remove Cohen and six other protesters as they chanted “RFK kills people with hate!” forcing Committee Chairman Senator Bill Cassidy to temporarily pause the proceedings.
“Members of the audience are reminded disruptions will not be permitted while the committee conducts its business. Capitol Police are asked to remove the individuals from the hearing room,” Senator Bill Cassidy declared before later quipping, “That was a made-for-C-SPAN moment.” stated by Fox News
Video footage captured the moment Cohen was physically removed from the hearing room by law enforcement officers. All protesters were charged with “crowding, obstructing or incommoding,” while some face additional charges of resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer. This isn’t Cohen’s first brush with the law for his activism; he was previously arrested in 2023 while protesting outside the Department of Homeland Security, further cementing his reputation as one of corporate America’s most politically active business leaders.
Anti-War Messaging and Gaza Protests
Cohen later shared a video on his X (formerly Twitter) account explaining the motivation behind his protest. “I told Congress they’re killing poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs, and they’re paying for it by kicking poor kids off Medicaid in the US,” Cohen stated, directly linking American military aid to Israel with domestic spending cuts. The protest was specifically aimed at criticizing President Trump’s continued support for Israel’s military operations in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attacks, a position that has caused significant division within political camps.
Ben & Jerry’s has long been known for its progressive activism, even after being acquired by consumer goods giant Unilever in 2000. In 2021, the company made headlines by announcing it would stop selling its products in the West Bank, referring to the territory as “Occupied Palestinian Territory.” This move drew sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers at the time, but now intersects with a growing segment of the conservative movement that questions America’s foreign aid commitments and military interventions abroad.
Blurring Political Lines and Conservative Reactions
The spectacle of Cohen’s arrest has become a catalyst for unexpected cross-ideological conversations. On “The Glenn Beck Program,” host Glenn Beck and co-host Stu Burguiere discussed how Cohen’s recent interview with Tucker Carlson represents part of a growing trend where conservatives are finding common ground with traditionally left-leaning figures over shared concerns about government overreach and military spending. Beck observed that this represents a significant shift in the political landscape, where “those who were once silenced are now attempting to silence others.”
“I told Congress they’re killing poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs, and they’re paying for it by kicking poor kids off Medicaid in the US,” Ben Cohen stated in a video shared after his arrest.
Burguiere raised concerns about whether this trend represents conservatives genuinely shifting their positions or merely embracing anyone who shares specific anti-establishment views regardless of their broader ideology. He pointed to former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard as another example of this phenomenon, noting how she transitioned from supporting Bernie Sanders to joining the MAGA movement while maintaining many of her left-wing policy positions. Beck countered that this shift might reflect conservatives becoming more aware of certain issues rather than abandoning their principles.
The Irony of Targeting RFK Jr.
Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Cohen’s protest was his decision to target RFK Jr., who himself has been critical of aspects of American foreign policy and military spending. As Burguiere noted during “The Glenn Beck Program” discussion, Cohen’s protest against Kennedy may have been misdirected since the Health and Human Services Secretary likely shares some of Cohen’s concerns about foreign aid priorities. This irony underscores the increasingly complex political realignments occurring within both conservative and progressive circles.
As the Biden administration’s policies continue to face scrutiny from both ends of the political spectrum, Cohen’s arrest exemplifies how traditional political boundaries are increasingly insufficient to explain current alliances and oppositions. The protest has become less about the specific disruption of a Senate hearing and more about what it represents: the ongoing evolution of political discourse where anti-establishment and anti-war sentiments are creating unexpected bedfellows across previously impenetrable ideological divides.
