Pentagon chief defends deployment to protest
Hegseth pressed on cuts at congressional hearing
By: Cybele Mayes_Osterman
USA today
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Pet Hegseth, in a tense June 10 [2025] congressional hearing, defended deploying Marines to Los Angeles amid protests against Immigration and Costumes Enforcement, while facing Democratic criticism over military cuts, foreign aid, and cultural shifts - highlighting the trump administration's evolving defense priorities.
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Hegseth faced questions from congress for the first time since he took over at the Pentagon. During testimony before the House Appropriations Committee, Representative Betty McCollum D-Minnesota, pressed Hegseth over the military's recent deployment of troops in response to protests in Los Angeles.
..... "This is a deeply unfair position to put our Marines in," McCollum said of the Pentagon;s deployment of 700 marines to the region on June 9. [2025]
..... Hegseth invoked the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, saying Minnesota Governor Tim Walz "abandoned a police precinct and allowed it to be burned to the ground."
..... "President Trump recognized a situation like tat, improperly handled by a governor, like it was by governor Walz ... if it gets out of control, it's a bad situation for the citizens of any location."
..... Hegseth said he and Chairman of the Joint Che if of Staff Dan Caine plan to discuss Ukraine;s drone attack on Russia and how the United States can avoid a similar attack.
..... Hegseth said the Pentagon would consider increasing counter-drone systems and hat the "golden dome' - the Trump administration's multi-billion-dollar missile defense plan - would contribute.
..... Press by Representative Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, about what he is doing to "not turn you back" on Ukraine, Hegseth said his goal was to achieve peace, and to "clarify win means" in the war in Ukraine.
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"Have you visited Ukraine?" Kaptur hit back.
..... Hegseth said he had not.
..... Responding to an accusation from Representative Ed Case, D-Hawaii, that the Trump administration "has illegally sought to destroy' the United States
Agency for International Development, Hegseth said he had not heard any complaints form other counties over the elimination of the agency and U.S. foreign aid programs, because "a lot of them were wasteful and duplicative."
..... "I hear nothing about that because they're not serving U.S. interests," eh added.
..... "I don't think you're talking to the right people,' Case said.
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In earlier testimony, Hegseth said recent cuts to a Pentagon office that tests new technologies was a "reflection of he overall approach we take in the department, which is, 'How efficiently do we operation?' "
..... Hegseth said the office was eliminated after a review he led along with "our friends at DOGE,: the Department of Government Efficiency.
...... A question about new restitutions on use of pronouns and gender identifiers in the military prompted a swift retort from the defense secretary.
....."Men are Men, women are women" in the military, and people signing up won;t get a "woke indoctrination," Hegseth said. He said if they want that, they can go to college.
..... The comments came in response to a question from Representative Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Florida, who said it was "not a priority" for people enlisting in the military to use their preferred pronouns.
..... In his opening statement, Hegseth declared, "DEI is dead," regarding the diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives he has wiped out at the Pentagon.
..... "We must overcome decades of neglect and decline," he said. "We must fortify our position as the world's most lethal fighting force, and we must act fast."