CIA director flips out on Dem lawmaker when asked if Hegseth was drunk during attack
CIA Director John Ratcliffe did not take kindly to being asked if Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was drunk when he was describing attack plans on Houthi rebels in an unsecured Signal chat that has now become a crisis for Donald Trump's White House.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) first asked DNI director Tulsi Gabbard if she believed Hegseth was alcoholically impaired during the chat that included top White House officials and, unfortunately for all involved, The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffery Goldberg.
"So one of the things we're going to look into is if what actually occurred, because the American people deserve a full accounting additionally, the main person who was involved in this thread that a lot of people want to talk to is Secretary of Defense Hegseth and a lot of questions were brought up regarding his drinking habits in his confirmation hearing," Gomez began.
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"To your knowledge do you know whether Pete Hegseth had been drinking before he leaked classified information?" he prompted Gabbard who demurred, "I don't have any knowledge of Secretary Hegseth's personal habits."
Turning to Ratcliffe he asked, "Same question: yes or no?"
"You know, no, I'm going to answer that," the CIA director tersely replied before raising his voice. "I think that's an offensive line of questioning –– the answer is no. I find it interesting that you want to know ––."
"I yield back," Gomez interrupted.
"No, I'm going to answer," the CIA director loudly argued over the Democratic lawmaker. who continued to ask for his time back.
"You asked me a question, do you want an answer? Ratcliffe shouted.
"No," Gomez argued as he asked the chairman for his time back as the director loudly complained about the treatment of the U.S. intelligence community under Donald Trump.
That led Gomez to admonish him, "I have huge respect for the CIA, huge respect for our men and women in uniform. But this was a question that's on the top of minds of every American, right? He [Hegseth] stood in front of a podium in E holding a drink. So of course we want to know if his performance is compromised."
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