While much calmer than the last time he testified in front of Congress, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s appearance before a Senate committee was even more disastrous than his House committee hearing earlier on Tuesday.
Attribution: APDemocratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington questions Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a hearing on the defense budget on May 12.
Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington confronted Hegseth over the outrageous defense budget, especially as Republicans continue to slash programs that support childcare and healthcare.
“The president has called Medicaid, Medicare, and childcare ‘little scams’ and said, ‘We’re fighting wars, we can’t take care of daycare,’” Murray said. “I’m just trying to understand that. Is it your position—since you’re asking taxpayers for another half a trillion for the war—that American families should be forced to give up childcare and health coverage so that you can have $1.5 trillion for this budget?”
“Senator, that’s not my department,” Hegseth responded.
But Murray refused to back down as Hegseth tried to change the subject.
“Your budget request cuts through Trump’s ramblings and really, to me, makes the truth clear—that you and the president don’t value families as much as you value defense contractors,” Murray fired back.
Attribution: By permission of Mike Luckovich and Creators SyndicateA cartoon by Mike Luckovich.
Hegseth’s unwillingness to answer the simplest questions led to more tense exchanges throughout the hearing, including a confrontation with Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware.
Coons quizzed Hegseth on the plan for reopening the Strait of Hormuz to relieve some of the economic turmoil.
“My concern is that you’ve achieved a series of tactical successes,” Coons said, “but are on the verge of a strategic loss because we are now negotiating—”
“—I just think it’s so foolish,” Hegseth interrupted.
“I am not your enemy, sir,” Coons replied calmly. “I am not your adversary. I share your goal of preventing Iran from ever having a usable nuclear weapon.”
Coons continued, “My question remains: How do we reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping? If we control it, how do we reopen it?”
I wouldn’t hold my breath for an actual answer any time soon …
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