Friday, December 5, 2025

Republicans play defense to protect Hegseth

Republicans left Democrats on Capitol Hill frustrated this week as a pair of controversies surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth continue to dominate the headlines.

Lawmakers from both parties on the committees overseeing the armed forces and intelligence sectors huddled today with Adm. Frank Bradley and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The briefings focused on the Sept. 2 military strike on a vessel the Trump administration says was ferrying drugs in the Caribbean, an event the White House's critics and some independent experts say was illegal, even possibly a war crime.

The results of another investigation into Hegseth were released publicly on Thursday as well. 

A review of Hegseth’s actions found that the Fox News host-turned-commander was at fault for putting classified information at risk when he shared it in a Signal thread earlier this year.

Republicans who spoke to the media on Thursday after the briefings were either evasive about Hegseth's culpability or were outright supportive of the military's conduct pertaining to the 'double-tap' strike.

“I saw two survivors trying to flip a boat, loaded with drugs, bound for the United States, so they could stay in the fight," claimed Sen. Tom Cotton, (R-Ark.).

Members of the president’s party, with two notable exceptions, still seem unwilling to give their critics an inch. So Pete Hegseth may be safe for now — at least from Congress.

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By John Bowden

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

One of the most troubling things I’ve seen in my time in public service.

Rep. Jim Himes, lead Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, reacts to footage of the so-called 'double-tap' strike on a boat alleged to be carrying drugs carried out by U.S. forces on Sept. 2.

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