Senate Hearing Highlights Tensions Over Military Force and Protests
Senators clash with Defense Secretary Hegseth over military's role in protests, referencing past Trump administration actions and raising concerns about lethal force.
Overview
- Sen. Elissa Slotkin questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on military force against protesters during a contentious Senate hearing.
- Slotkin cited former Defense Secretary Mark Esper's memoir about Trump's military inquiries during the George Floyd protests.
- Hegseth advised the panel to be skeptical of media and book narratives, suggesting they trust the Bible instead.
- Senator Mazie Hirono and other Democrats confronted Hegseth about military actions taken during the Trump administration.
- Hegseth defended the Commander in Chief and dismissed Democratic criticisms in a heated exchange.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources depict a contentious congressional hearing, emphasizing the clash between Democratic senators and Defense Secretary Hegseth. The framing suggests skepticism towards Hegseth's dismissive stance on media narratives, while highlighting concerns over military force against protesters. Implicit bias leans towards accountability and scrutiny of governmental actions.
Rosen asked about the firings of several top national security officials that were allegedly done at the request of far-right social media influencer Laura Loomer.
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"…The former Fox News host, who faced a contentious confirmation hearing, got into a heated exchange before the Senate Armed Services Committee with Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who questioned him over the military's authority to arrest and detain protesters."
ABC News·1M·FAQ
The Senate is concerned about the Trump administration's deployment of nearly 5,000 National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles as well as additional troops sent to Florida, Louisiana, and Texas following anti-immigration raid protests. These moves have raised alarms about the potential use of military force in domestic law enforcement and suppression of dissent.
Secretary Hegseth pushed back on claims of illegality regarding military deployments in Los Angeles but did not confirm or deny whether contingency plans exist for using military in other cities[1].
When asked if he had authorized uniformed military to detain or arrest protesters, Hegseth responded by stating, 'You're not a protester if you are throwing concrete at law enforcement officers,' but did not explicitly confirm lethal force was authorized for use against protesters[2].
The main topic of the Senate hearing was the Department of Defense's fiscal year 2026 budget request, though questioning quickly shifted to current events such as military deployments in Los Angeles and tensions in the Middle East.
Senator Blumenthal expressed deep concern over the use of active-duty troops in Los Angeles, calling it potentially illegal and noting that such actions could inflame tensions under the guise of law enforcement. Other Democrats criticized Hegseth's leadership, emphasizing the need for restraint and expertise in managing domestic military deployments[1].
History
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