Gary Peters

“You’re asking the American people for a blank check because, once again, the Trump administration’s efforts have been an utter and complete failure to win this war to this point. So my question for you, sir, is: How is your strategy different than what we’ve seen in the past?” Peters asked, adding that destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities, the administration’s main goal in the conflict, has not been “dealt with.”

Hegseth sharply rebuked Peters’s use of the word “failure” to describe the U.S. military’s actions in Iran, saying it undermines the sacrifice of service members.

“I think it smears the sacrifice of the troops that are out there making on behalf of the American people to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon,” Hegseth said. “Shame on you and others who call this a quagmire and a failure, and then you want to turn around and say you support the warfighter. … Is the nuclear material still there? I can get you a ticket out to CENTCOM and talk to what those Americans are doing, how committed they are to this effort, and how they want to ensure that Iran never threatens their families with a nuclear weapon.”

Peters then attempted to clarify that he was calling the Trump administration’s efforts a failure, not the actions by U.S. troops. Hegseth said he heard the word “exactly” as Peters used it, but Peters said he used the word in reference to those leading American troops.

“You, sir, are the failure, not the men and women who are on that front line, not the men and women who hold up their honor with distinction,” Peters said, reaching over the dais, pointing his finger at Hegseth. “But if there’s a lack of a winning strategy, they’re in harm’s way. Their leaders have failed them, and that’s what’s happening.”

“You don’t have a strategy,” Peters continued. “You don’t have a long-term plan to actually win this war. Win the war. The men and women are going to be able to do it, but they need to have leadership. When will you show leadership?”

Hegseth fired back, proposing Peters speak with his fellow Democrats “who stand and play partisan politics” instead of approving funds for military operations.

“Why don’t you give us the money?” the department head said. “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.”

The senator from Michigan then said he was not questioning the fiscal request but instead trying to understand Hegseth’s approach to the war and questioning what he views as a lack of leadership.