Iran war: US Defence Secretary Hegseth spars with Democrats in fiery House hearing

Washington, Apr 30 (PTI) Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth clashed with Democrats at a House panel hearing here fending off accusations of misleading the public on the Iran war and firing senior military officers.

The six-hour hearing of the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday to discuss the Trump administration’s USD 1.5 trillion defence budget, turned into a slanging match between Hegseth, who was facing the Congress for the first time since the Iran war broke out on February 28.

Pentagon officials pegged the cost of the Iran war at USD 25 billion, a figure that was viewed with scepticism by a section of the Democratic lawmakers, who questioned Hegseth’s competence as defence secretary and sought to know from him whether President Donald Trump was "mentally fit" for the job.

Trump is the “sharpest, most inciteful commander-in-chief we’ve had in generations”, Hegseth hit back and countered whether the Democrats had questioned the competence of former President Joe Biden.

“Did you ask the same question of Joe Biden for four years? You want to ask that question after you and your fellow Democrats defended Joe Biden, who could barely speak and didn’t know what day of the week it was,” the defence secretary countered.

Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also appeared before the Committee along with Hegseth.

“The biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of congressional Democrats, and some Republicans. Your hatred for President Trump blinds you to the truth of the success of this mission,” Hegseth said, deviating from the prepared text of his remarks circulated among committee members.

Democrats and some Republicans posed tough questions over the firing of top military officers in the middle of the war, which Hegesth said was necessary to bring in “new leadership” and build a “warrior culture” in the Pentagon.

Republican Nancy Mace defended Hegseth’s moves to remove military officers.

“I’m glad that you’re firing people. There are people there that are getting in your way. They need to go,” the Congresswoman from South Carolina said.

Sparks flew when the California Democrat John Garamendi slammed Hegseth over the “astounding incompetence that had led to political and economic disaster at every level”.

“The president has gotten himself and America stuck in a quagmire of another war in the Middle East. He is desperately trying to extricate himself from his own mistakes; it is in America’s, and indeed the world’s, interest he succeeds in that,” Garamendi said.

“Who are you cheering for here? Who are you pulling for? Your hatred for President Trump blinds you to the truth of the success of this mission and the historic stakes that the president is addressing that the American people support,” Hegseth hit back.

“You call it a quagmire, handing propaganda to our enemies? Shame on you for that statement,” the defence secretary said.

Hegseth repeatedly dodged pointed questions from Democratic lawmakers, calling them “clickbait” moments.

Democratic lawmaker Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger who served during wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, questioned Hegseth about lawyer Tim Parlatore, a Pentagon advisor.

Crow repeatedly asked whether Parlotore had international clients at the same time advising the Pentagon and Hegseth.

The volley of questions from Crow on Parlotore led Hegseth to describe it as a “political stunt” and a “huge waste of your five minutes”.

A member of a House committee gets five minutes to question those appearing before it and yield to other members.

Hegseth is set to appear before the Senate Armed Forces Committee on Thursday. PTI