Tensions escalated in a recent House Armed Services Committee hearing as Rep. Salud Carbajal criticized Pete Hegseth, who has been associated with the Department of Defense under President Trump.
The confrontation arose during discussions regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request and particularly focused on the deployment of the National Guard and U.S. Marines in Los Angeles, amid ongoing tensions related to protests against immigration enforcement.
Carbajal’s questioning began with a series of yes or no inquiries, targeting the rationale behind military presence in the city. He expressed skepticism toward Hegseth’s responses, suggesting that the situation was acting as a backdrop for political posturing.
“Let’s call it for what it is. It’s political theater. Hegseth, are the Marines in Los Angeles ordered to protect property by any means necessary?” Carbajal asked, pushing for direct responses.
In defense of the military deployment, Hegseth responded, emphasizing the need for protection for federal agents working under Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), countering the notion that the situation was merely a spectacle.
However, Carbajal interrupted him, insisting, “Just yes or no? This isn’t Fox anymore. Just yes or no.” This back-and-forth further illustrated the growing tension during the hearing.
At one point, Carbajal escalated his critique, stating, “Kindergartners can give me a yes or no,” and further questioned Hegseth about the supposed requirement of political allegiance to President Trump for those serving in the military or the Department of Defense.
Hegseth quipped back, “Congressman, you know what a silly question that is,” dismissing Carbajal’s inquiry as unworthy of his time.
This led to Carbajal’s fiery response, where he declared, “You’re an embarrassment to this country. You’re unfit to lead. And there’s been bipartisan members of Congress that have called for your resignation. You should just get the hell out and let somebody competently lead this department.”
Prior to the heated exchange, in his opening remarks, Hegseth articulated the Department of Defense’s budgetary priorities under President Trump’s leadership. He presented a robust budget request totaling $961 billion, asserting that it symbolizes a significant shift from what he termed ‘four years of chronic underinvestment’ in national defense.
Hegseth asserted that the new budget framework prioritizes the nation’s military needs, emphasizing aspects like war fighting and merit-based standards over perceived distractions that had previously hindered efficiency.
He stated, “We are restoring the warrior ethos. President Trump charged me to focus relentlessly on war fighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards and readiness. And that is exactly what we’ve done since day one. We are refocusing on what is truly important, which is war fighting and our warriors, sweeping away distractions and bureaucracy.”
This sentiment echoed throughout the discussion, where Hegseth asserted that the changes implemented under his direction have led to rising recruitment and retention rates among young Americans willing to serve in the military.
Furthermore, Hegseth underscored the need for NATO allies to ramp up their defense investments, pledging to push for commitments at the upcoming NATO heads of state meeting. He emphasized the expectation for allies to invest 5% of their GDP in defense-related measures, an initiative he credited to President Trump’s leadership during his inaugural term.
As the hearing concluded, it remained clear that the discord between Carbajal and Hegseth reflected broader national debates regarding military policy and political influences on defense operations.
image source from：https://www.foxnews.com/politics/california-dem-tells-hegseth-hes-embarrassment-us-should-get-hell-out-dod
