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.
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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...