New: Pete Hegseth Cooks Dems and Their 'Hypocrisy' in Fiery Senate Hearing Testimony

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My RedState colleague Ward Clark reported earlier on some of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee.

In addition to testifying about how his department was building back the "warrior ethos," Hegseth outlined the many things they had to deal with after the neglect of the Biden administration, including the prior administration's failure to properly address things like hypersonics. Hegseth termed the negligence "staggering," saying he didn't know what the prior Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, had done.

However, Hegseth didn't stop there; he not only took on the Biden failure, but the present Democrat Senate recalcitrance to fund his department.

Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) chastised her Democrat colleagues, saying our adversaries must take heart from the dysfunction of the chamber.

.@SenKatieBritt: I would have to think that our adversaries look at the dysfunction of this body and it gives them a little bit more credence as to what they're doing abroad.@SecWar: That's why I've said the inability to properly fund the @DeptofWar is probably the single… pic.twitter.com/0FHhlzm8I6
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 21, 2026

That's why Hegseth said the inability to properly fund the department was "probably the single greatest threat America faces." Hegseth outlined how it wasn't just about winning currently, but about deterring wars in the future, which you do with strength and by being prepared.

Hegseth really pulverized the Democrat opposition when he pointed out how the Senate didn't seem to have a problem giving money away to defend Ukraine in five different supplemental bills under Joe Biden. Yet, here now, you had people not willing to fund our American service members who are facing military action.

.@SecWar: Under Biden, there were five supplemental requests for Ukraine. Almost every member of the Senate made those urgent priorities.@SenKatieBritt: Wouldn't you say it would be urgent for our men and women in uniform right now to have what they need?@SecWar: I would… pic.twitter.com/CU2uWiyYgA
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 21, 2026

"I would argue providing for American men and women, as opposed to Ukrainian men and women, is a higher priority for the United States Senate," Hegseth asserted. Why is it "righteous" to fund Ukraine, he said, yet not fund American troops who are "in harm's way right now?" he asked. "It's hypocrisy."

Some of the Democrats tried to get in their performative video clip moments by going after Hegseth. One of the most fiery was Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), and it did not go well for him. He just began screaming about "leadership," and Hegseth didn't hold back in reply.

🔥 WOW! Pete Hegseth is SCORCHING Democrat Sen. Gary Peters for calling the US military a "FAILURE"
"You want to stand up here and talk about the troops? You won't show ANY political courage to actually fund our department because you have TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME and can't… pic.twitter.com/pKwcARt298
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 21, 2026

"Why don't you show some leadership and stand up for your fellow Democrats who won't fund the troops, who stand and play partisan politics while you don't give us the money?
"You want to stand up here and talk about the troops? You won't show any political courage to actually fund our department because you have Trump Derangement Syndrome and can't actually commit to anything meaningful."

Peters claimed it was about "leadership," and Hegseth again shot that down: "Political cowardice of Democrats who won't fund the troops."

Editor's Note: Thanks to President Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth's leadership, the warrior ethos is coming back to America's military.

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