U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testified before the House Appropriations Committee, where he appeared to be unfamiliar with his department’s budget and repeatedly was unable or unwilling to answer members’ questions, prompting several heated exchanges in what some described as his “filibustering.”
As Secretary Hegseth devolved into attacking the Biden administration, Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro, the committee’s top Democrat, interjected.
“Please, I don’t — I want, I want your plan. I’ve had difficulties with the prior administration, and I don’t mind calling them out. What is your plan for the future? Can we get that in writing and on paper so that we know where you’re going?” DeLauro demanded.
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“Because we don’t have anything today,” she continued. “We have zip, nada, and knowing where you’re going. You could talk percentages, you could talk about whatever you want, but unless this committee sees dollars and cents and where you’re going and what your plan is, then we may reconsider what you need to do to go forward.”
“Give us the details.”
HEGSETH: The challenge is our department under the previous administration squandered—
DeLAURO: Please! I want your plan! What is your plan for the future? We have zip! Nada! pic.twitter.com/OjxGgPfrBx
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 10, 2025
In another heated exchange, Hegseth was accused of “filibustering” before U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum.
“So in Los Angeles, we believe that ICE, which is a federal law enforcement agency, has the right to safely conduct operations in any state and any jurisdiction in the country, especially after 21 million illegals have crossed our border under the previous administration,” Hegseth claimed, baselessly citing false numbers.
When he began attacking California Democrats, Governor Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, McCollum interjected.
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“Mr. Chairman, if Secretary Hegseth’s not going to answer the budgetary questions, I will yield back my time if the Secretary refuses to answer the budgetary questions I put before him. They’re important. What training missions aren’t happening? Where are you pulling the money from? And how are you planning this moving forward?” she asked.
“These are budget questions that affect this committee, and the decisions we’re going to be making in a couple of hours. If you’re not going to answer them, please let the chairman know, and I will I will take back my time and I will yield it back.”
When asked by the committee chair, Hegseth again filibustered and attacked the Biden administration.
Pete Hegseth is blatantly filibustering budget-related questions he’s getting from Democratic House members pic.twitter.com/zzdpkdUAFn
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 10, 2025
Later, after the hearing concluded, Congresswoman McCollum reposted video on social media and wrote: “Secretary Hegseth offers revisionist history because he can’t answer a single question about the defense budget.”
Fred Wellman, a 22-year combat vet, veterans activist, and West Point and Harvard Kennedy School graduate, blasted Hegseth:
“He showed up at the budget hearing with all of his usual bull—- talking points but none of the actual budget. He hasn’t bothered. His priority is prayer meetings, workouts, book banning, and travel. He does videos in his office but none of the actual boring work of a Cabinet Secretary.”
Ranking Member DeLauro also took to social media and blasted the Defense chief.
“Show. Us. The. Plan.” she demanded.
When the Defense Department’s “Rapid Response” social media account attacked DeLauro, asking, “why are you screaming?” the Ranking Member replied, “Why are you lying?”
Watch the videos above or at this link.
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