Hegseth Refuses To Say That He’ll Obey Federal Courts

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO: “At a time when steady leadership is critical, we are confronted with crisis and instability. Mr. Secretary, close to 5,000 Marines and National Guard have been deployed to LA without the request or consent of the California governor or Los Angeles Mayor Bass. Rather than calming the situation, this troop deployment is purposefully inflaming and escalating tensions. You claim lethality is your top priority. Do you plan to unleash this lethal force against US citizens and civilians in LA and other cities?”

PETE HEGSETH: “Well, Senator, I would reject most of the characterization of that statement, including the lethality against U.S. cities, when all of those National Guardsmen and Marines have conducted themselves with the utmost professionalism, defending our federal agents, Americans, who deserve to be able to do their job to deport illegal immigrants after the previous administration allowed 21 million illegals to cross our border.”

HIRONO: “I am not here to listen to your rhetorical responses. I would like to have a professional response that I would expect from somebody who is the Secretary of Defense. Millions of people peacefully demonstrated this weekend against the president acting like a king. Given this regime’s dangerous policy of mobilizing troops inside the US, the politicizing of the military is a legitimate concern. So given the dangerous policy of mobilizing troops inside the US, if ordered by the president, I’m going to ask you once again, to shoot peaceful protesters in the legs, would you carry out such an order from the president?”

HEGSETH: “Senator, as I’ve said before, of course, I reject the premise of your question and the characterization that I would be given unlawful orders. It’s all meant to attempt to smear the commander in chief, and I won’t fall for it.”

HIRONO: “Considering that the president, in his first term, actually ordered such a thing. It is not a premise that you can reject. He can order the same thing. So again, I think you would just follow what the president wants you to do. Let’s face it, it is not normal to call up our troops in this way, and there is active litigation against this deployment. Will you follow a court’s order regarding whether or not this deployment is legal? If the court says this deployment of troops into our cities is not legal, would you follow that court’s order?”

HEGSETH: “It’s pending in the courts, Senator.”

HIRONO: “Well, when the court decides, would you follow that court order decision?”

HEGSETH: “I don’t believe district courts should be determining national security policy.”

HIRONO: “So you will not be following that legitimate court?”

HEGSETH: “When it goes to the Supreme Court, we’ll see.”

HIRONO: “And unless the president decides to appeal, there you have it. So I take it that you don’t consider district court decisions to be legitimate.”