All articles tagged with #hegseth
Republican senators accuse the Pentagon of excluding Democrats from closed, classified briefings on the defense budget, warning that Pete Hegseth’s approach could jeopardize passage of Trump’s $1.5 trillion military package as Democrats threaten to boycott funding bills; lawmakers from both parties urge bipartisan engagement.
MSNBC's Michael Steele says the Trump administration’s Iran-war blame game has escalated, citing The Washington Post’s reporting of a Camp David clash between President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over munition shortages; the White House denies the confrontation, while The Wall Street Journal reports Trump’s irritability and a push to investigate leaks, signaling a crisis and scapegoating within the White House.
At a Senate Appropriations hearing on Iran, Sen. Jon Ossoff pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, repeatedly quoting his past claims that Iran’s military had been destroyed and combat-ineffective, as Sen. Gary Peters pressed for accountability and a clear strategy in the Iran war.
Slate's Fred Kaplan critiques Pete Hegseth's proposal to test all service members over 30 for testosterone and provide shots for those with low levels, arguing that hormone levels vary widely and lack a clear 'normal' baseline; higher muscle mass does not automatically translate to combat effectiveness; testosterone therapy carries risks like high blood pressure and mood changes; in Kaplan's view, modern warfare relies more on strategy, technology, and coordination than hormonal boosts, making the plan ill-informed and dangerous.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that active-duty and reserve personnel aged 30 and older will undergo annual testosterone-deficiency screening, with tests optional for those under 30. Those with low levels may be offered voluntary hormone replacement therapy. The plan aims to establish a health baseline and sustain readiness, though it remains unclear if screening will cover women. Experts note potential benefits for health and performance but caution about fertility and cardiovascular risks.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly urged reversing the suspensions of eight South Carolina National Guard Apache pilots who flew a low-altitude Fourth of July coast flyover; the suspensions were lifted within hours as the review concluded, following an earlier intervention over pilots near Kid Rock's Nashville home. The Guard described the action as a routine admin review, while lawmakers and the governor had criticized the suspension before it was overturned.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s National Guard recognition ceremony at Meridian Hill Park in Washington, DC was interrupted by protesters shouting about immigration, whom he called ingrateful; he framed the event as non-ideological and focused on law and order while officers honored wounded guardsmen, with officials touting crime-reduction claims tied to Guard presence.
The White House has asked Congress for an $87.6 billion supplemental—about $67 billion for the DoD—to fund a costly Iran war, but critics say the plan lacks cost transparency, doubles the Pentagon's earlier $29 billion estimate, and is loaded with pork like funding for Florida farmers, elevator repairs, memorial restorations, and Penn Station repairs, prompting opposition from lawmakers who argue funds should go through regular appropriations rather than a wartime package.
Rolling Stone reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ousted Gen. Chris Donahue, the four-star commander of U.S. Army Europe, in what critics call a purge of combat-tested leadership. The piece argues the firing stems from Donahue’s role directing the Kabul evacuation in 2021–22, including tense negotiations with the Taliban and coordinating refugee flights and aid—stories interwoven with Fazel Roufi’s family’s escape and Donahue’s last-flight departure. The article also notes ongoing investigations into the Afghanistan withdrawal and frames Donahue’s actions as a brave, duty-driven effort amid a controversial mission.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked a behind-the-scenes effort to extend Gen. Christopher Donahue’s career, prompting the general to submit retirement papers and prepare to depart; Donahue, regarded as a top warfighter, will leave amid what observers describe as Hegseth’s broader purge of senior military leaders.
Gen. Christopher Donahue, who has led U.S. Army Europe and Africa since December 2024 and was famed as the last soldier out of Afghanistan in 2021, is stepping down amid a broader wave of senior military departures under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with the change expected to be announced soon.
Will Saletan argues that at a Normandy D-Day ceremony, Pete Hegseth casts migration from Africa and the Middle East as an invasion, highlighting a broader Trump-era pattern of prioritizing anti-immigrant rhetoric over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and criticizing the administration for tying European cohesion to white-nationalist anxieties.
At a D-Day ceremony in Normandy, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth framed immigration as a new threat to freedom, portraying migration as an invasion.
The House Armed Services Committee advanced a bipartisan NDAA provision requiring Pentagon officials to brief Congress within five days on why senior uniformed leaders were dismissed or relieved, a move seen as a rebuke of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid a string of high-profile firings including Army Chief Gen. Randy George. While the measure clarifies the rationale behind removals, its path to law remains uncertain as both chambers must pass the bill before it can be signed by the president. The live feed also covers other Capitol Hill developments, including Van Hollen’s critique of outside spending in Maryland, DOJ inquiries tied to Epstein, and a Senate vote-a-rama on immigration policy, with Trump targeting Republicans who opposed him.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington will 'find a way' to help Ukraine defend itself after Zelensky urged the White House for more air-defense systems, praising Europe’s defense spending; the appeal highlighted Ukraine's shortage of Patriot missiles (PAC-3) and other air-defense capabilities, though specific aid details were not disclosed.