Pete Hegseth Asked Point Blank If He'd Have Military Fire On Protesters If Trump Gave The Order

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At a House Armed Services Committee hearing, Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI) questioned Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth about whether he'd fire on protesters if President Trump gave the order.

Transcript

00:00I want to jump questions right now. Mr. Secretary, on January 6, 2021, rioters and looters attacked

00:06federal law enforcement officials, vandalized and destroyed federal government property,

00:10and caused an estimated $2.7 billion in damages right here at the Capitol. Would you have sent

00:16the National Guard and the Marines in on that day? Unfortunately, President Trump requested

00:21the National Guard in advance. It took him quite a long time. I'm asking you,

00:25as Secretary of Defense, would you have sent in the National Guard and the Marines on that day?

00:31We had 140 Capitol Police officers injured. One died the next day. Would you have sent in the

00:36National Guard and the Marines? As I said, President Trump directed National Guard to be

00:40there in advance. And I think you can look at the record of how long it actually took for him to

00:44actually send them in. But it's good to hear that it sounds like you would have sent in the National

00:48Guard and the Marines on that day in which the insurrection was taking place right here at the

00:54Capitol. Mr. Secretary, during your confirmation hearing, you failed to deny the conclusion that

00:58you would carry out an order to shoot protesters in the legs. So let me be direct. Given what we

01:04are seeing across the country right now, would you carry out or issue an order by the President for our

01:09military to fire upon protesters actively engaging in their civil right to exercise free speech,

01:17their First Amendment rights? Would you give that order from the President?

01:20I assume you're insinuating what's going on in Los Angeles, and I wouldn't...

01:25Not just Los Angeles. If you take a look at protests throughout the country, it's a simple

01:29question. If directed by the President, would you order our military to fire upon protesters?

01:36Simple yes or no?

01:37Ma'am, we have, as you know, and as this committee knows, we have standard rules of engagement that

01:42are in place that give guidance to our troops, and they abide by them.

01:46I'm asking what you would do. Again, you said you serve at the pleasure of the President. Is that not true?

01:54I do serve at the pleasure of the...

01:55So if the President told you to shoot people in the legs, would you do so? Now, you failed to answer

02:00this question as only in confirmation hearing when asked by members of the Senate.

02:04Because I refuse to accept a false hypothetical that's attempting to put me in a corner and make

02:10it look like a representation...

02:11At a time when we have more Marines, the National Guard, in Los Angeles than we do in Syria and

02:15Iran alone, I don't think this is a hypothetical. This is an actual situation that we are dealing

02:21with right now. So again, I will ask the question in the last 14 seconds I have. Would you order

02:26our military to shoot at their fellow countrymen if ordered by the President?

02:31I think it's interesting that for four years, insurrection was the left's favorite word.

02:35I think we know your answer. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I yield back.

02:37And that was in L.A. They were generally yields back, generally times...

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