SerpApi.Org
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was put in a tough spot by Senator Jon Ossoff during a recent Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Tuesday. The Georgia lawmaker grilled the Pentagon’s chief over a request for billions in additional war funding despite previous assertions that Iran’s military had been neutralized.
According to the Daily Beast, Ossoff asked Pete Hegseth, “On day 14 of this conflict, Mr. Secretary, day 14, nearly five months ago, you stated that Iran’s military had been, ‘destroyed,’ and ‘made combat-ineffective.’ That was on day 14 of the war. Was that an accurate statement?”
In response, Hegseth claimed that Iran didn’t have a Navy as it was “completely sunk” and “missiles were buried underneath a lot of their underground facilities and their defense industrial base has been almost completely destroyed.”
He continued his defense, insisting, “So, as far as a military assessment of Iran’s capabilities, it didn’t mean by any stretch of the imagination absolute zero—,” but he was cut off. The Pentagon Chief attempted to emphasize Iran’s inability to challenge the US, but he was interjected again.
“That’s not what I asked you, Mr. Secretary,” Ossoff reiterated before repeating his question. “What the American military has done to the Iranian military—” Hegseth began his defense after a pause.
However, Ossoff countered, “Will you answer the question?” But Hegseth continued reiterating the “historic military defeat.”
By the time Ossoff appeared visibly enraged with Hegseth’s response as he questioned whether he would respond under oath before moving ahead after receiving no clear answer. He then asserted his question using Hegseth’s claims like ‘Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory’ and ‘achieved every single objective’; further probing if those were the correct statements.
Hegseth insisted, “It certainly was, on behalf of the men and women in uniform, a historic military victory over Iran.” Ossoff then countered whether the Iranian military had been rendered ‘combat-ineffective for years to come?”
“They had 160 naval vessels in their bluewater Navy, and they’re gone. Their air force is completely combat-ineffective, and they don’t have a defense industrial base,” Hegseth assured.
Ossoff insisted that Hegseth respond to his questions, but Hegseth kept talking and appeared to raise his voice. The Pentagon chief defended, “They don’t have a defense industrial base. So describe to me a country that doesn’t have an air force, a navy, or a defense industrial base, and I will describe to you a country that does not have an effective military.”
Despite Hegseth trying to speak over him, Ossoff continued his grilling questions and repeated questions about the Iranian military. The 46-year-old proclaimed, “Set back not just years but likely decades considering it can’t build at the level it did before, not even close. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t have capabilities”
Ossoff then fired Hegseth if the claim about achieving ‘every single objective’ was an accurate statement. Hegseth replied, “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,” further adding, “If they don’t give them up at the table, there are other ways we can take them away.”
His remarks appeared to contradict his earlier statement, though he did not directly acknowledge it and continued speaking quickly.
