Hegseth GETS EXPOSED under CROSS-EXAM at Senate Hearing

Defense Secretary Pete Hegsith was just. ripped to shreds at a Senate hearing. He. was at the Senate testifying under oath. demanding $1.5 trillion more for the. catastrophic war in Iran. He wanted. close to $90 billion urgently. He said. that they need it immediately. And then. he says the biggest threat to the United. States of America is if we don't. urgently get $1.5 trillion. Let me show. you as one by one the senators ripped.

him. Even a MAGA Republican senator. exposed that yes indeed HGsith is aware. that China and Russia are helping Iran. But Hegsith who previously kind of. denied that says well I can't really. talk about this publicly. First let me. show you Hegsith storming out of the. Senate hearing. The Midas Touch Network. was there to try to ask him about his. war crimes, about his future at the. Hague, but he walked away from our. reporters. Let's play this clip.

>> See where you are? >> Okay. >> Yeah, we're not moving. >> Secretary Jacob from TMZ. One question. and that is it. How are you going to end. this war? >> Secretary, what's your message to the 18. dead military families? >> Are Iran's capabilities too. sophisticated to protect US forces? Now, let's get inside the hearing where. Democratic Senator John Oaf went through. all of Hegsith's statements. On day. eight, you asked this. On day 14, you. said this. On day 20, you said this. So,

what is it, Hegsith? What is it? On day. 14, you stated the following. Play this. clip. >> On day 14 of this conflict, Mr. Secretary, day 14, nearly 5 months ago, you stated that Iran's military had been. quote destroyed and quote made combat. ineffective. That was on day 14 of the. war. Was that an accurate statement? >> Um, they didn't have a navy any longer. It was completely sunk. Uh, their. missiles were buried underneath a lot of. their underground facilities and their.

defense industrial base has been almost. completely destroyed. So as far as a a. military assessment of Iran's. capabilities, it doesn't didn't mean by. any stretch of the imagination absolute. zero. But there canary the lowest level. on day 14 of this conflict in the second. week of the conflict, you stated that. Iran's military had been quote destroyed. and quote made combat ineffective. Was. that an accurate statement? Yes or no? >> Iran's ability to challenge the United. States of America at the level at which.

we're capable of. >> That's not what I asked you, Mr. Secretary. You said on day 14 Iran's. military had been quote destroyed and. quote made combat ineffective. Yes or. no? Was that an accurate statement? >> What the American military has the. Iranian military is a historic military. ineffective in that context. >> Then we heard from Democratic Senator. Reid who's like, "Do you realize how. embarrassing it is that you keep on. trying to blame the Biden administration.

for everything?" Then Hegsith tries to. like yell at the senator and then. Senator Reid is like, "You think that. Trump should be praised for starting a. war without authority and now our troops. are getting killed and Iran controls the. straight of Ramoose? You you want Trump. to be praised for that?" Here, play this. clip. >> Completely aware that the straight of. Hamoose could be closed and obviously. sinking their ships has not affected. their ability to effectively close the. straits. Did it did you.

>> We had US boats that surrendered to. Iranian ships under the Biden. administration. Uh so their navy was. affected in. >> talking about a war you started not a. situation in which oil was flowing. freely. There was no conflict. We. weren't losing personnel as a result of. Iranian actions. So, uh, your fall back. to the Biden administration is just a. very, very, u obvious, uh, excuse for.

what I think is probably, as you. described so often, gross negligence. You did not fully inform the president. that you would be in a situation where. the traitor moves could be effectively. closed. Oil prices could surge and. effectively the Iranians could maintain. their ability to strike back as they are. right now. They just killed some of my. servicemen last weekend. Um. >> this this battlefield and all the. dynamics of it of which the chairman and. I are responsible for ensuring the. president understands every branch and.

sequel of what could happen and we did. The fact that those contingencies all. were part of the possibility and we. understood that is all the more reason. why President Trump deserves the kind of. praise he should get for undertaking. this effort having the courage to ensure. that crazy Islamists can't have a. nuclear weapon to hold us at issue and. he's been willing to stay that. regardless of the challenges. >> Excuse me. So he should be praised. He. should be praised for starting a war. without authority creating a situation. in which the world economy is suffering.

tremendously. We have to ask extra money. for our farmers and we have no outcome. uh at least no real realistic outcome in. sight yet. Let me switch to. >> more cross-examination right here from. Senator Osaf who said, "Okay, let's go. back to the very beginning. March 8th, here's what you said response." Play. this clip. >> Of America, which went toe-to-toe with. him and Iran couldn't. >> You stated on March 8th, day nine of the. war on 60 minutes, you assured the.

American people of Iranian surrender. Does that remain your prediction? >> Ultimately, Iran will never have a. nuclear weapon to threaten the United. States of America. That has been the. objective and it remains so. >> So just to review, you will not answer. whether your statement made on the 14th. day of the war that Iran's military had. been quote destroyed and made combat. ineffective was a truthful statement to. the American people. As you sit here and. ask for tens of billions more for the.

senator's time has. >> a historic and effective military. campaign against the largest state. sponsor of terrorism. weapons. I like that Senator Rosaf asks. these basic questions short using. Hegsit's words. You said that we. achieved every single objective. Was. that an accurate statement when you said. we achieved every objective four months. ago? Perfectly framed question. And then. I want you to watch Hegs squirm play. this clip before not even doesn't mean.

it doesn't have capabilities. >> Mr. Secretary, you stated we had quote. achieved every single objective. Was. that an accurate statement four months. ago? >> The main objective of this was to ensure. that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. Their main sites were obliterated. We're. watching over them and we're holding. that issue. If they don't give them up. at the table, there's other ways we can. take. a nuclear weaponary. Then we heard from. Democratic Senator Durban who said, "So. I'm trying to understand this. You want.

this supplemental funding on an. emergency basis of what? Close to $90. billion immediately, $87.6 billion, but. you still have $75 billion in. unobligated funding. Means you have it. set aside for situations like this. So, what are you doing with that? Oh, Biden. was so bad that we need the money. Huh? That's what you're blaming it on? How. about you don't bankrupt the Defense. Department? Last year you had $1.1.

trillion. You still have $75 billion. left. You claim, you know, that Hexith. is lying here that the war costs $ 37.5. billion. That's clearly not what it's. that that is a complete lie in my. opinion. So if it only cost 37.5. billion, you've got 75. What are you. doing here? Play this clip. >> Mr. Secretary, I'd like to ask you to. help me reconcile some numbers. It's my. understanding that this whole.

supplemental funding request is 87.6. billion and most of the funding 67. billion is for the Department of. Defense. Yet, we are told the Department. of Defense still has 75 billion in. unobligated funding from last year's. reconciliation package. Is that true? >> Um, roughly correct numbers. Yes. So. you've left some change on the dresser. before you uh prepared to come for this. hearing. What's going to happen to that. 75 billion?

>> Well, that 75 is there's plans and. designs on that part of the rebuild of. our military which had to be undertaken. And so that one big beautiful bill gave. us specific avenues. I'd have to get you. the exact numbers of what that is left. to be allocated to do with the war in. Iran. >> No, this is this is rebuilding our. military from what was not funded in the. past under the B administration. So. that's these are this is from 2026 one. big beautiful bill which which helped. move the president's priorities like. golden dome for America move away from. all the woke priorities of of what the. bid administration was pursuing give us.

a chance to start cutting these deals on. munitions all the things that we he the. president wanted us to focus on ship. building hypersonics I mean the bid. administration ignored hypersonics they. just decided to pretend like that. technology didn't exist and we shouldn't. invest in it there are thing I I don't. know what Lloyd Austin did for four. years I really. the amount of neglect, the amount of. stale thinking and bureaucracy. was staggering when we took over. So, one big beautiful bill gave us a speech. Let me interrupt your speech for a. minute. Now, let me show you where. Hegsith said that it only cost uh you.

know he says uh 37.5 billion actually or. number like that. Play this clip. >> Secretary, it's my turn to ask. questions. I've been listening patiently. while you made your presentation. You. estimated at one point that the cost of. the war in Iran was $29. billion, but then added a caveat that. there was a replacement of munitions, for example. Do you have a new estimate. about what the war has cost us so far in. this the fifth month of the first year.

of this war in Iran? Uh Senator, the. estimate we have as of today is 37.5. billion. >> And is the current activity which we've. been told about the exchange of fire. back and forth uh in Iran an indication. that number is going to go up in the. months ahead? >> Some of that number captures additional. on andm mill pay and other that would be. anticipated through the fiscal year. So. some of that anticipates what costs. would be going out in the future as. well. So the new number you've given me. is what? >> 37.5 billion.

>> And that represents the cost of the war. through what period of time. >> through now for certain aspects of it. Uh but also mil pay and m other. anticipated costs through September. 30th. Senator. >> and then uh Pete Hegith goes on to say. we need $1.5 trillion urgently urgently. Here play this clip. >> We know what that means. That that means. 1.5 trillion. Given the world that we. live in and the disaster of what the. Biden administration budgets gave us, not funding this department at 1.5.

trillion, I believe is the greatest. threat that our nation faces. Either we. invest in our warriors at this moment of. step change on the battlefield and. growing threats or this is all just. talk. Show you over here. Next, you had. Senator Murray cross-examining Hegsith. right here. And uh she goes, "You said. to Iran that it would be completely. against international law for them to.

charge tolls in the straight of Hormuz, but then Donald Trump said that he wants. to charge tolls in the straight of. Hormuz." Here, play this clipless. >> You also said at that same uh press. conference, and I'm going to quote you, um you urged Iran to quote, "Let. innocent ships pass freely. These. international waters belong to all. nations, not to Iran to tax toll or. control. Last week, President Trump said. the US would charge a 20% toll to each. ship to pass through the state. So, based on your opposition to tolls, did.

you talk to the the president out of. that idea or did someone else? >> Um, Iran's not charging tolls and. they're shooting at ships right now. >> But Trump said that he wanted to charge. a 20% toll. We we have a blockade right now of all. Iranian ships and Iranian ports and uh. it's it's effective. >> My time is out. >> Then there were protesters throughout. this who were protesting heath. I'll. show you this clip right here. >> Base budget request.

>> 1.5 trillion. STOP BOMBING OUR CHILDREN IN IRAN AND. PALESTINE. THIS IS ILLEGAL. >> MR. SECRETARY, please. suspend until order is restored in the. hearing room. We will begin the timing. clock since you've been interrupted. twice. more from Senator Murray who says, "Okay, well on May 5th you claimed that.

Iran doesn't control the straight and. you said that there was a quote powerful. red, white and blue dome over the. straight." So if that was true, a red, white, and blue dome over the straight. of Hormuz, how did Iran shrink ship. traffic during that period of time? And. how are they continuing to shrink ship. traffic at their own whim if the red, white, and blue dome over the straight.

is saving everybody? I mean, all this. regime does is lie about everything. Play this clip. >> Well, let me move on. You on May 5th, you claimed that Iran doesn't control. the straight, and you said that there. was a quote powerful red, white, and. blue dome over the straight. If that was. true, how did Iran shrink ship traffic. in the straight to trick to a trickle. again last week? >> We pushed almost, I believe, between 400. and 500 million barriers of oil under. the nose of Iran over the course of. Project Freedom, which went underground,

which I uh acknowledged after we did so. covertly because it was more effective. to do so quietly than to do so publicly. So, we've been uh in control of moving. traffic through there for quite some. time. Will they retain the ability to. recklessly shoot at commercial shipping? And that's what happened. We had a. ceasefire and then they shot at. commercial shipping recklessly. Then. when Senator Peters was cross-examining. Hegs, Hexit's response was, "Sir, you. have Trump derangement syndrome. Sir, you have Trump derangement syndrome.". Play this clip. >> Jerry Hexiff, did you if you listen to. my comments, you told you would have.

heard me say how amazing our war. fighters are. >> I heard failure. The word heard I I. heard exactly. >> I will tell you how I use the word. failure because I use the word failure. to their leaders. use are are the. failure. Not the men and women who are. on that front line. Not the the men and. women who hold up their honor with. distinction, but if there's a lack of a winning. strategy, they're in harm's way. Their. leaders have failed them. And that's. what's happening. We have political. leadership. You You don't have a. strategy. You don't have a long-term.

plan to actually win this war. Win the. war. The men and women are going to be. able to do it, but they need to have. leadership. When will you show. leadership? When will you show you show. some leadership and stand up to your. fellow Democrats who won't fund the. troops, who stand and play partisan. politics while you don't give us the. money. You want to stand up here and. talk about the troops, you won't show. any political courage to actually fund. our department because you have Trumped. derangement syndrome and can't actually. commit to anything meaningful. So, I put. this on you, Senator. >> Sergeant Hoff, you have trillions. You.

have over a trillion dollars. You're. asking for $1.5 trillion. It's not a. question of money. It's a question of. leadership and understanding what it. takes to actually win. >> political cowardice of Democrats who. won't fund the troops. >> Senators, >> now let me show you a moment too that. deserves more attention where you have. the MAGA Republican senator from North. Dakota. Um, Senator Hovind. I mean, some. people could say this guy's a little. more moderate, but he aids and ebs Trump. in my view. Are Russia and China helping.

Iran? And Hegsith admits it here. Play. this clip. important and will make a big. difference for our farmers right now. So, thank you for that. Secretary Hegth, >> um. are Russia and China uh helping Iran and. if so, how? Well, Senator, as the chairman alluded. to, there's definitely adversary. alignment uh attempts to do so. uh and. there are many ways that we deter that.

Some of which are and and the depth and. extent of it ought to remain classified. and it should but there are ways in. which both of those countries are. limiting at different levels uh enabling. some of the things Iran is doing. Yes. >> General Kane, would you like to add? >> Sure. I'd rather um not opine on the. specifics because that would divulge. what we know and I never want the. adversary to know what I know. I just.

want to know it. >> and hopefully we'll get a chance to do. that in. >> Yes sir. Happy to happy to do that in. sir. >> This more uh clips over here. This. Senator Oaf again going through the. dates. So then after we gave you the. timeline that we're saying March 8th you. did this 14 days in you said this then. you declared victory you think this is. this is victory you declared mission. accomplished here play this clip to. answer the question in that context.

>> 3 weeks later you declared victory that. was now nearly four months ago. 3 weeks after you'd already said Iran's. military was destroyed in combat. ineffective. You said, quote, "Operation. Epic Fury was a historic and. overwhelming victory." You said Iran's. military had been rendered quote combat. ineffective for years to come. And you. stated we had quote achieved every. single objective. Were those accurate.

statements? >> Uh, it certainly was on behalf of the. men and women in uniform a historic. military victory over Iran. Had Iran's. military been rendered quote combat. ineffective for years to come? That was. a state that you made four months ago. They had 160 naval vessels questions. Mr. Secretary. said combat ineffective and they don't. have then you have Senator Gillibrand. saying I want to get this straight. Were. the nuclear facilities obliterated or. not? Let's play it. >> Secretary Hag Seth. >> there's no reason to.

>> you are you are asking for unlimited. money for bombs when people can't feed. their families. And I don't know how. this administration intends to defend. those decisions to the American people. >> Um, not unlimited bombs, Senator. I'm. asking for the right bombs at the right. time to ensure we can deter our. adversaries into the future. And that's. why this is a generational investment. And it was the previous administration. that didn't fun. That's why they are so upset with you. and this administration is because the. words you have used in the past don't.

add up about Iran specifically. You said. that we had obliterated quote unquote. Iran's ability to create nuclear. weapons. The president made the same cla. claim. Yet 8 months later in February of. 2026, the president launched an act of. war claiming Iran was within two weeks. of having a weapon. So when you say two. very different things, the American. people don't know who to believe or what. to believe. They just know they can't. afford their health care, they can't. afford their food, they can't afford. housing, and our farmers are continuing.

to suffer. So, which is true? Was it. obliterated or wasn't it? What What's. the status? >> The nuclear sites under Midnight Hammer. were obliterated, but Iranians foolishly. continued to attempt to pursue nuclear. capabilities, which is why we destroyed. their defense industrial base and so. many of the other capabilities to ensure. they can't get to a nuclear weapon. See, we're staying laser focused on the. objective and you're trying to make. campaign commercials and that's fine. >> So, listen to this. >> More from Senator Jill Brand right here.

Let's play it. unpopular and. unauthorized war abroad is a higher. priority to this administration than. their ability to feed their families and. provide health care to their loved ones. who are sick. Well, Senator, you're you're talking. about political trade-offs and our job. is to to to deliver for the United. States military and the president of the. United States. And we we look at the. cost of a nuclear Iran and we want to. prevent that for future generations and. that requires funding and supplementals. and this budget and next generation. capabilities and that's why we're here.

today to request some of that to ensure. we can ensure that Iran never gets a. nuclear war. So, you're essentially. saying you're asking for literally $1.5. trillion for a war that President Trump. said he already won. You're asking for. $1.5 trillion, unlimited money for. bombs, but insufficient money in the. American for the American people for. their health care, their food, their. housing, and our farmers. Secretary Rollins. who we have cut SNAP program. We are not.

funding the losses from. uh emergencies that have happened in. blue states particularly where we had. frost. >> That's not true. >> False. You're not funding it. But back. to you, Secretary Hegsth. >> And I would like to respond to the. fertilizer and the gas, >> Secretary Hegsth. >> There's no reason to you are asking for. unlimited money for bombs when people. can't feed their families. And I don't. know how this administration intends to. defend those decisions to the American.

people. >> Then Senator Tammy Baldwin said, "You. know, I spoke with the soldiers who were. in the barracks who were injured in some. of these attacks. You're not offering. them any aid or support. You're not. allowing them to even get the treatment. You're downplaying their injuries. You're covering this all up." Watch what. she says. >> Yes, Senator. >> Thank you. Uh, Secretary Hath, I. traveled to Walter Reed Military. Hospital and met with SH soldiers who. were injured in that attack.

What they told me confirmed what other. soldiers have said publicly that most of. these soldiers injured in the attack did. not receive proper medical care in. Kuwait, in Germany, or during their. initial days back in the US. The US. military has been fighting wars in the. Middle East for 25 years. Why was proper. medical care not immediately available. to these injured soldiers? And why were. they not immediately screened for.

traumatic brain injuries? >> I I'm not taking issue with the. characterization of individual soldiers, but I would argue that every effort was. made to provide every level of medical. care possible, understanding how Sentcom. operates. Senator's time has expired. >> More from Senator Reid right here. Let's. play it. >> At least no real realistic outcome in. sight yet. Let me switch to General. Kane. General Kane, uh, these air. strikes have not yet deterred and. defeated the Iranians. Do you think air.

strikes alone will do that? >> Sir, I think academically, as you look. across the totality of history, air. power's got limits and we always have to. be mindful of those. I think where. America's area of exclusivity is is when. we bring the totality of the. diplomatic,formational, economic and pair that with the military. and there's a lot of that work going on. >> Well, the military the next step would. be escalation by ground combat. Do you.

anticipate that escal escalation? >> Sir, I I think it'd be unhelpful for me. to opine on hypotheticals. What I can. tell you is we always develop an. unbelievable amount of options and the. associated risks and then my main job is. to always ensure that leaders understand. those options and the risks. >> Now if you employ ground troops to seize. objectives which princip I would assume. would be the first stage are you. prepared for an extended guerilla war. which would likely happen in that area.

Sir, with all due respect, I think it'd. be unhelpful for me to opine on. hypothetical situations on whatever. decisions the president may or may not. take in the future. Have you advised the. president that uh a ground combat would. be very expensive in the lives of our. soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and. also could probably lead to an extended. uh. unconventional war in that area. I don't. see the Iranians sort of throwing their.

hands up saying and you know welcome to. Iran. [laughter]. >> Uh Senator, I always advise the. president on a range of military options. and all of the risks that are contained. within that. But I have to keep my. military advice to the president. private, sir. But well, thank you. Well, there you have it, folks. Let me know. what you think. Hit subscribe. Let's get. to 7 million subscribers. Thanks for. watching everybody. Before you go, our. book WTF America is available for.

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