Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth, throughout congressional testimony on Wednesday, repeatedly dodged questions on whether or not he would perform an order from President Donald Trump to deploy troops through the midterm elections.
In the course of the almost six-hour testimony earlier than the Home Armed Companies Committee, Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii) requested Hegseth if he would adjust to an order from Trump to deploy troops to polling places through the midterms.
“What you’re attempting to insinuate is that the president would give illegal orders and we might by some means deploy troops in consequence,” Hegseth stated. “And the proof of our division is that we’ve labored alongside legislation enforcement very successfully for 15 months. Los Angeles would’ve been on fireplace for the summer time had we not come throughout our legislation enforcement associates and helped them out.”
Tokuda then repeated her query, pointing to feedback Trump made to The New York Instances earlier this yr, through which he stated he regretted not ordering the Nationwide Guard to grab voting machines in key swing states after his 2020 election loss.
Hegseth once more seemingly dodged the query, whereas repeating components of his earlier reply, earlier than launching right into a tirade accusing former President Joe Biden of deploying Nationwide Guard troops through the 2024 election.
“You wish to insinuate that the president points unlawful orders, which he hasn’t and doesn’t,” Hegseth stated earlier than Tokuda lower him off.
“It’s a easy query: Who would you observe, the president or the Structure?” Tokuda requested.
“I’ll be aware that in 2024, troops have been, that was Joe Biden by the best way, have been deployed to polling places in 15 states. 2024, Joe Biden, troops deployed to polling places in 15 states. Clarify that one to me,” Hegseth stated.
Biden didn’t, actually, deploy the Nationwide Guard through the 2024 election; somewhat, 15 particular person states activated their very own Guard items to help state and native officers on Election Day, in keeping with a report from The Hill.
Regardless of being requested by Tokuda a number of occasions, Hegseth refused to rule out sending troops to polling places.
Watch Hegseth’s full testimony earlier than the Home Armed Companies Committee right here:
