Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, sparked a heated exchange with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday.
The lawmaker accused Hegseth of “asking the American people for a blank check” to fund the conflict in Iran due to the Trump administration’s “utter and complete failure to win this war.” Hegseth did not take kindly to this characterization by Peters, and the two duked it out.
Watch:
“Secretary Hegseth, despite your failure to win this war, you are back now before Congress asking for almost $70 billion in additional funding. You’re asking the American people for a blank check because once again, the Trump administration’s efforts have been an utter and complete failure to win this war to this point. So my question for you, Sir, is how is your strategy different than what we’ve seen in the past?” Peters asked.
“I think your characterization of this incredible effort as a failure is reckless. And I think it’s irresponsible, and I think it smears the sacrifice of the troops that are out there making on behalf of the American people to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. Shame on you and others who call this a quagmire and a failure. And then you want to turn around and say you support the war fighter. Either you do, or you don’t,” Hegseth shot back.
“Secretary Hegseth, if you listened to my comments, you would have heard me say how amazing our war fighters are,” Peters responded.
“I heard ‘failure,’ and the word– I heard exactly what you said,” Hegseth replied.
“I will tell you how I used the word ‘failure’ because I used the word ‘failure’ to their leaders. You, Sir, are the failure, not the men and women who are on that front line, not the men and women who hold up their honor with distinction. But if there’s a lack of a winning strategy, they’re in harm’s way. Their leaders have failed them. And that’s what’s happening. We have political leadership. You, you don’t have a strategy. You don’t have a long-term plan to actually win this war. Win the war! The men and women are going to be able to do it, but they need to have leadership! When will you show leadership?! When will you show leadership?!” the lawmaker ranted.
“Why don’t you show some leadership and stand up to your fellow Democrats who won’t fund the troops, who stand and play partisan politics while you don’t give us the money?! You want to stand up here and talk about the troops, you won’t show any political courage to actually fund our department because you have Trump derangement syndrome and can’t actually commit to anything meaningful. So I put this on you, Senator,” Hegseth retorted.
“Secretary Hegseth, you have trillions. You have over $1 trillion. You’re asking for $1.5 trillion. It’s not a question of money. It’s a question of leadership and understanding what it takes to actually win,” Peters said.
“Political cowardice of Democrats who won’t fund the troops,” the war secretary explained.
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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