Salud Carbajal Lights Into Hegseth Tells Him To His Face That He's An 'Embarrassment'

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At a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) told Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth that he should resign during tense questioning.

Transcript

00:00As a gentleman from California Mr. Carbajal. Thank you Mr. Chairman. It shouldn't come as no

00:05surprise that I have serious concerns with both the deployment of the National Guard

00:09and the Marines and to Los Angeles. I served in the Marine Corps. We are trained to be war

00:16fighters not for crowd control. Everyone here should be alarmed that the president has sent

00:22armed forces into a city against the wishes of a governor and mayor. I am concerned this

00:29administration is purposely escalating the situation with this step and politicizing

00:35our armed forces in the process. Let's call it for what it is. It's political theater.

00:41Hexeth are the Marines in Los Angeles ordered to protect property by any means necessary?

00:51Sir I would say the ICE officers and police officers being attacked is not political theater.

00:56Just yes or no. Just yes or no. The National Guard and Marines have the full authority to protect

01:04federal ICE agents. Yes or no. Can you just say yes or no? This isn't Fox anymore. Just yes or no.

01:14They're there to protect federal agents and federal agents. Another BS answer. Under the SRUF the use of

01:22force are Marines allowed to fire warning shots? No. Now that's more like it. Isn't that easy?

01:32Will you, you know, I'm going to beat this drum because you refuse to take responsibility.

01:37Will you take responsibility for having made a mistake? Not to mention many people would say break the law

01:44in participating in the signal group chat that included a journalist, your wife, your brother,

01:53where classified information was shared.

01:56Sir, every way I communicate is authorized.

02:00Okay, if you want to say that. I have called for your resignation. I didn't think you were qualified

02:06before your confirmation and you have done nothing to inspire confidence in your ability to lead

02:13competently. You broke the law in sharing classified information and in doing so,

02:19endangered the lives of our service members that you are responsible for. Your inability to hold

02:25yourself accountable makes you incapable to lead. To lead. This alone makes you unfit to be the Secretary of Defense.

02:35Secretary, do you think the United States should continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against

02:42Russia, a nation that is hostile towards the United States? Well, as you know, sir, President Trump

02:48is committed to peace. No, I just want yes or no answers. The United States has spent billions of

02:54dollars. Yes or no. Yes or no. Just yes or no. Can I get a yes or no out of you? We continue to send

03:01Come on. Residential drawdown. It's that easy. Kindergarteners can give me a yes or no. Yes or no.

03:09Yes, we support peace in Ukraine.

03:13Come on. Is this really leadership?

03:18You're an embarrassment to the United States.

03:21If Russia invades NATO allies, are you going to recommend to the President that we fulfill our

03:29Article 5 obligations? Well, Russia has not invaded NATO allies. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

03:37I reclaim my time. Yes or no. It's that simple. There's Article 5 in NATO, which we recognize.

03:45So is the answer yes or no? That's what Article 5 is. Yes. Good. I'm glad you brought yourself to

03:54saying yes. Do you think political allegiance to Trump is a requirement for serving our nation,

04:01either in uniform or a civilian in the department? I'm incredibly proud, as there are millions of

04:08Americans. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Not today, Seth. Yes or no. Congressman, you know

04:15what a silly question that is. But silly enough to warrant a very straightforward answer. Yes or no?

04:23We all support and defend the Constitution of the United States. You know what? I'm not going to

04:27waste my time anymore. You're not worthy of my attention or my questions. You're an embarrassment

04:32to this country. You're unfit to lead. And there's been bipartisan members of Congress

04:37that have called for your resignation. You should just get the hell out and let somebody

04:42competently lead this department. Mr. Chairman, do we not have any decorum in here?

04:50Thank you very much. I yield my time. This is an absolute...

04:52Gentleman yields back. And I would urge everybody to remember and maintain a decorum suitable for

04:59this chamber with their further comments.

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