Chapter 1: What happened during Pete Hegseth's cross-examination?
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth just cracked under pressure during his testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. He was flailing, he was yelling, he was looking like a cornered rat. Let me show you what went down during this pitch-perfect cross-examination of Hegseth.
First, you had Democratic Congressmember Carba Hall cross-examine Hegseth and also pointing out just how incompetent Hegseth is. Here, play this clip.
Mr. Hegseth, I stand by what I said last time you were here. You were incompetent then, you're incompetent now, and you're the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to incompetence. With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Gentleman yields back. Other than that, I'm doing great.
Thank you. Next, you had Democratic Congresswoman Houlihan cross-examine Hegseth as he refused to say why General Randy George, the former army chief of staff, was fired via text message by Hegseth. Here, play this clip.
So I will move on and I'm going to reclaim my time. General George, let's talk about a guy who's a patriot, somebody who every single person here in this dais and down there in that audience and out there in this world has huge admiration for. Why did he get fired?
Well, as with any moves we make with general officers, first of all, I thanked him for their service.
And ultimately, my impression is you thanked him by a text or a phone call.
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Chapter 2: How did Congressmember Carba Hall challenge Hegseth's competence?
You didn't even do it to his face.
Out of respect for these officers, we never talk about the nature of their removal, but every one of them, including myself, knows that they serve at the pleasure of the president. Ultimately, out of respect to these officers, we don't reveal it. However, I will note, it's very difficult to change the culture of a department that has been destroyed by the wrong perspectives.
So you think General George destroyed a culture?
There are many, we've gotten rid of many general officers in this administration because we need new leadership.
You have no way of explaining why you fired one of the most decorated and remarkable men who's ever served a station. We needed new leadership. And so your answer is a very immature way of responding to my request.
Further, during the cross-examination by Congresswoman Houlihan, Hegseth refused to say how many more months would be required to conclude the catastrophic and disastrous war in Iran. Play this clip.
Despite the fact that your recent comments indicate that operations appear to be finished, there clearly is more work that needs to be done. As mentioned, today is indeed 60 days. So, Mr. Secretary, how many more months, just order of magnitude, do you think that you're going to need to be able to conclude operations successfully?
And how many more billions of dollars do you think you're going to ask this body for?
As you know, and as the president has stated, you would never tell your adversary, especially once you've decimated their military and you control their trade, how long you would be committed to the mission. Next, Democratic Congress member Vindman cross-examined Hegseth and said, so Hegseth, are you blaming your daddy now for this war? Trump's your daddy. You blaming daddy? Here, play this clip.
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Chapter 3: What were the key questions from Congresswoman Houlihan?
I mean, he's the commander in chief. He's made the calls. It sounds like you're blaming daddy for the mess we're in. And I don't think he's going to be particularly happy with you.
I see what you're trying to do. There's no daylight in this administration on this campaign. And I'm happy to stand shoulder to shoulder with this administration. Reclaiming my time. More from Democratic Congress member Vindman here as well, saying you believe that the American people voted for this catastrophic war in Iran. That's what you testified to during your opening statement. Watch this.
Play this clip. Close.
And so I just want to kind of give you the state of play right now. It's been two months of war. We have hopes for a resolution, but the war continues, really. Iran has closed the strait, and we've now gone in and blockaded their ports. One-fifth of the world's oil is unable to transit the strait, and the American people and the department are paying significantly more.
And you also said that this is what the American people actually voted for. But actually... The American people voted for a promise not to get into Middle Eastern wars. And they voted for lower prices. And this is the exact opposite of what they got. So let me ask you this. The president ordered the strike. Is that correct?
The president's been saying for over 30 years that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. So he's been very clear as a position. American people voted for President Trump overwhelmingly. They voted for that position.
But the president ordered the strike. Is that correct?
And then we heard this cross-examination from Democratic Congress member Goodlander. And she was saying, so do you agree with the statement that the military should not follow unlawful orders? And then Hanks is like, what a partisan talking point that is. Here, play this clip.
Of American law, that our service members follow lawful orders and lawful orders only. Is that right? Do you agree with the statement, quote, the military won't follow unlawful orders?
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Chapter 4: What accusations did Congress member Vindman make against Hegseth?
There's a much larger picture. There's a much larger picture at play here that included integrated air defenses, bunkers, moving people off the X to ensure that they were not part of the target. We moved those troops and all across the theater, thousands of troops off the X, off of their bases because we knew what Iran was going to try to strike. We knew there was a tragic moment.
There could be a tragic moment where something could get through. Of course, that's the consequence of conflict. And we remember those six every single day. But don't play games with... I'm not playing games, and I want to finish with one more quote from a survivor of the attack, and I'll put this on the record.
Telling the truth is important, and we're not going to learn from these mistakes if we pretend these mistakes didn't happen. Secretary Hegseth, those soldiers told the truth. Those soldiers are braver than you are. I commend them. They are asking for accountability. They deserve accountability. And I'm asking for the same, starting with you.
And as I said a year ago, you need to resign immediately.
I commend those soldiers.
And I yield back. More cross-examination from Democratic Congressmember Deluzio right here. Let's play it. Secretary, you heard direct quotes from some of them via CBS's reporting. They were willing to talk to the press. Things like they were unprepared providing defense for themselves in the unit. Things like we were moved closer to Iran to a deeply unsafe area that was a known target.
Your spokesperson, Sean Parnell, in response to that reporting said it was not true. Do you agree with that? He's calling these guys liars? I'm not calling our troops liars. And I don't know if what you're representing is correct or not. I'll take you at your word on that.
But all I know is that we took every effort possible at the commencement of this campaign to ensure the defense of our troops, to include moving them off of known bases to places that were not known. And we had intel- Understood, Secretary. And then those were fortified with bunkers and other fortifications with theater air defenses. Was our concern that something- I'm going to pause you there.
I'm going to give you a chance.
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Chapter 5: How did Congress member Moulton confront Hegseth about war crimes?
You got to pay for it. You don't even know what the average American is paying. You don't know what we paid in terms of the missiles that hit the Iranian school. You don't know what we're paying in terms of gas. You don't know what we're paying in terms of food. Your $25 billion number is totally off. It's the incompetence. You think that's a gotcha question?
Ask the Americans right now who can't afford gas, can't afford groceries, whose house may just about to be in foreclosure, who may be evicted. Tell them that's a gotcha question, Hank Siff. More cross-examination here from Ro Khanna. Let's play it. Because you said you wouldn't get us into bad wars. You said you wouldn't, you would bring down the prices. You know what I'm sad for?
I'm sad for all the people who voted for Trump. I'm sad for them because you betrayed them. You betrayed a lot of that mega base. And you know who knows that? J.D. Vance knows that. That's why I recognize this gentleman from Nebraska, Mr. Bacon. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Then under some questioning from Congresswoman Takuda, Hanks had said that Los Angeles would have been on fire last summer if the military didn't intervene. We would have been on fire here. I'm in Los Angeles. We would not have been on fire. We were perfectly beautiful. We didn't need you here. In fact, you made things horrible like you did throughout the rest of the country.
You fascists here play this clip 50 years ago.
OK, very good. All right. Well, Secretary Hex said that President Trump ordered you to deploy troops to polling places during the midterm elections this fall, which would violate the law. I just cited. Would you implement his order? Yes or no.
What you're trying to insinuate is that the president would give unlawful orders and we would somehow deploy troops as a result. And the evidence of our department is that we've worked alongside law enforcement very effectively for 15 months. Los Angeles would have been on fire for the summer had we not come across.
I disagree with that, but this is not a hypothetical situation that I'm inferring on your president in January of this year, told the New York Times that he regretted not ordering the National Guard to seize voting machines in key states after the 2020 election.
More questioning from Takuta right here. Let's play this clip.
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