Multiple Republican senators grilled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday over the administration's efforts to end the war in Ukraine, according to a Politico report.
The confrontations happened during a Senate budget hearing.
“Who’s the aggressor and who’s the victim in the [Russia-Ukraine conflict]?” Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) pressed.
“Russia is the aggressor,” Hegseth replied.
“Which side do you want to win?” McConnell asked.
Hegseth deflected, “As we’ve said time and time again, this president is committed to peace in that conflict.”
Hegseth later added, “Ultimately, peace serves our national interests, and we think the interests of both parties, even if that outcome will not be preferable to many in this room and many in our country.”
“America’s reputation is on the line. Will we defend Democratic allies against authoritarian aggressors?” McConnell rhetorically asked in his concluding statement.
And blows from GOP Senate members kept coming.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) “pressed Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would stop his expansion efforts with Ukraine, if he proved successful,” according to Politico.
“I don’t believe he is," Caine replied.
Hegseth said, “[it] remains to be seen.”
Graham angrily fired back at Hegseth’s noncommittal response.
“Well, he says he’s not. This is the ‘30s all over. It doesn’t remain to be seen.”
The South Carolina senator was referring to “The Great Terror of 1937,” when Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin tried to kill people he deemed a threat or not in line with the Communist Party.