Defense Secretary Hegseth Faces Heated Congressional Scrutiny Over Pentagon Leadership, Military Deployments, Riot Responses

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has faced intense scrutiny and criticism from Democratic lawmakers over his leadership at the Pentagon and his handling of recent civil unrest. Sen. Patty Murray sharply criticized Hegseth for personnel turmoil, including firing respected military officials and mishandling sensitive information, as well as pushing job cuts in critical defense installations. Meanwhile, Hegseth defended President Donald Trump's deployment of Marines and National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid immigration-related protests, countering Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum's claims by recalling the delayed and chaotic response by Minnesota's Governor Tim Walz during the 2020 George Floyd riots. Hegseth argued that the deployment was necessary to prevent the kind of destruction seen in Minneapolis, emphasizing the importance of decisive action to maintain order. Additionally, Hegseth endured a fiery exchange with Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who demanded details on submarine production plans and costs related to the military deployments, which he deflected by criticizing the Biden administration's prior management. These confrontations highlight ongoing partisan tensions over military leadership, civil unrest responses, and defense priorities under the current administration.