Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono ignited an web frenzy Tuesday together with her questioning of protection secretary nominee Pete Hegseth — throughout which the Hawaiian hounded the would-be Pentagon chief on misconduct accusations and whether or not he’d help an invasion of Greenland.
Hirono, 77, a daily determine of mockery amongst Republicans and conservatives, requested Hegseth at one level: “In June of 2020, then-President Trump directed former Secretary of Protection Mark Esper to shoot protesters within the legs in downtown DC, an order Secretary Esper refused to adjust to. Would you perform such an order?”
“Senator,” replied the 44-year-old Hegseth, “I used to be within the Washington DC Nationwide Guard unit that was in Lafayette Sq.. I noticed 50 Secret Service brokers get injured by rioters.”
“That sounds to me,” Hirono concluded, “that you’ll adjust to such an order — you’ll shoot protesters within the leg.”
The senator then requested Hegseth whether or not he would perform an order from President-elect Donald Trump to make use of army drive to annex Greenland or the Panama Canal Zone.
“Senator, one of many issues that President Trump is so good at is rarely strategically tipping his hand,” the nominee responded. “And so I’d by no means, on this public discussion board, give a method or one other what orders the president give to me in any context.”
“It sounds to me,” Hirono mentioned, “that you’d contact would ponder finishing up such an order to principally invade Greenland, and take over the Panama Canal.”
“Painfully silly,” person Johnny MAGA wrote on X in describing the change.
“Mazie Hirono claims Trump will use the army to overcome Greenland and the Panama Canal… The Pete Hegseth listening to has formally jumped the shark,” comic Tim Younger mentioned on X.
“Sen. Masie [sic] Hirono is principally claiming Hegseth wouldn’t solely shoot protesters within the leg however would additionally invade Greenland and Panama. Wow,” Townhall.com editor Jeff Charles chided.
“Mazie Hirono simply severely requested Pete Hegseth if he would invade Greenland. That is comical,” person Kenny Webster remarked on X.
Later in her time, Hirono engaged in a rapid-fire questioning of Hegseth about anonymously sourced accusations that he binge-drank and engaged in sexual misconduct.
“Hilarious to hearken to Mazie Hirono query Pete Hegseth on his consuming when she appears like your grandma after too many glasses of sherry on Christmas Eve,” conservative media persona Ian Haworth wrote on X.
“What’s subsequent? Nancy Pelosi questioning Kristi Noem on the overuse of Botox?”
“Hirono was taking part in decide, jury, and executioner based mostly on lies and stupidity,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) chimed in on X concerning the confrontation.
Because the listening to wound down, conservatives accused Democrats of fixating on Hegseth’s private life and “grandstanding” on points quite than asking substantive questions on key issues going through the army.
“I discover this grandstanding from Senate Democrats over the Hegseth affirmation perplexing. We haven’t received a conflict in three a long time and we now have a serious recruitment problem,” Vice President-elect JD Vance mused on X.
“Hegseth is assuredly NOT extra of the identical, and that’s good!”
“The Republicans requested useful questions and lined essential points. Democrats solely did this about 10% of the time. Many of the filibustering from Democrats was simply incoherent and unrelated to the job as secretary of protection,” remarked Eric Daugherty of Florida’s Voice.
Regardless of the drama, Hegseth is believed to have the votes to be confirmed by the total Senate within the coming weeks.