At a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) questioned Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth.
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00:00The chair now recognizes a gentlelady from Washington, Ms. Strickland.
00:03Thank you, Chairman Rogers.
00:07I represent Joint Base Lewis-McChord, home to over 40,000 active duty service members and their families.
00:14JBLM is the Department of Defense's most important installation for projecting power into the Indo-Pacific region,
00:21hosting the Army's First Corps and one-third of the Air Force's entire C-17 fleet.
00:25I want to start by recognizing the Army's 250th birthday.
00:30I am an Army brat myself.
00:32My father served in the military.
00:34He joined the Army when it was segregated, and he continued to serve when President Truman desegregated,
00:39something that probably would have been defined as woke back then.
00:43I could not be more proud of the soldiers who make up Army what it is.
00:47And as part of the celebration, the Pentagon is going to host a day-long festival and parade,
00:52estimated to cost up to $45 million.
00:54Department of Defense officials have described this as a generational recruiting tool
01:00and a plan to highlight every era and legendary leaders throughout Army history.
01:08So, Secretary Hegseth, do you plan to include displays of Colin Powell,
01:14our first black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff?
01:16Will you include displays about the Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team,
01:23one of the most decorated units of all time?
01:26Will you include displays about Major General Charles Calvin Rogers,
01:30whose Medal of Honor your department previously labeled as DEI?
01:35Recent articles by Stars and Stripes, Military Times, and others outline
01:40how your team has gone to great lengths to wipe out references of these American heroes.
01:46I'm incredibly concerned and actually disappointed
01:48that you will continue trying to tell an incomplete story about the Army's proud history,
01:54especially when you consider that 40% of those who are serving who are enlisted
01:57represent minority communities.
02:00So I'm going to ask you, sir, will you be able to talk about these things,
02:04and will they be included?
02:05And then I have another question after that.
02:07Go ahead.
02:07Well, Congresswoman, I do not accept your insinuation
02:11that we would seek to disclude any race or group of people
02:15in representing 250 years of incredible service of the United States Army,
02:20including your father's, which I thank him for.
02:22We're proud that we're going to put on full display the Army's military might 250 years on,
02:29which is a demonstration of American freedom, power, and commitment.
02:34And I agree.
02:34Are these three people that I mentioned going to be included in this celebration?
02:39It is.
02:40This is a parade demonstrating military might, capabilities through the years, including to today.
02:46Yes.
02:47And there will be exhibits.
02:48So will these folks be included, sir?
02:50Well, I think you'll be heartened to know that the Secretary of Defense is not involved
02:54in choosing individual exhibits in the celebration.
02:57But our team has put in a great deal of effort to make sure the Army's history is well represented.
03:02And I'll say this.
03:03Part of the reason I'm sitting right here and I put on the uniform
03:06is a parade that went through my parents' hometown in Wanamingo, Minnesota.
03:11Blink and you miss it.
03:12Nothing farm town.
03:13Absolutely.
03:14Now, I'm talking about the exhibition, sir.
03:16It made me proud.
03:16I'm talking about the exhibition.
03:18Are you going to include Colin Powell, the Japanese American 442nd, or Major General Charles
03:24Calvin Rogers?
03:25That's my question.
03:26I'm sure we will include a cross-section of a lot of incredible Americans and possibly
03:31all of them, too.
03:32I have no idea.
03:33So you have no idea, or I'm going to take that as a no.
03:35All right.
03:36Next question.
03:36Let's talk about Ukraine and Russia.
03:38So we know that Russia started this war.
03:42They have long been an adversary of the United States.
03:46And at the same time, you heard the president make some really interesting comments, including
03:50not including Russia in the widespread random tariffs.
03:55So I think one question I will ask you as we talk about wanting peace, because we all
03:59agree that's a desired outcome.
04:01Do you and the president support surrender to Russia by Ukraine as your definition of peace?
04:08Ma'am, no one has talked about surrender.
04:12We're talking about a negotiated peace.
04:14So does that mean that you're okay with Russia keeping this territory that they're trying
04:18to take so they can march on to one of our NATO allies?
04:23Ma'am, I think the situation is unfortunate, unleashed by the previous administration.
04:29But everyone that talks about winning and prevailing has yet to present to me a plan that's going
04:33to push the Russian army out of those territories.
04:35So, sir, I appreciate you talking about the previous administration often, but we are
04:40now in this administration.
04:42So as the person who serves at the pleasure of the U.S. president, do you believe that
04:46Russia is a true adversary and is your definition of peace going to be surrender of Ukraine from
04:52this invasion?
04:53Ma'am, I've never said surrender.
04:55And we're prepared to negotiate what we hope will be a lasting peace.
04:59I yield back.
05:00General, he yields back.