Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) directly challenged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Tuesday, accusing him of being distracted by culture wars rather than focused on winning the Iran conflict.
Coons expressed concern about what he characterized as a "distracted administration and distracted department," noting President Donald Trump's Iran war created a "rift" with U.S. allies.
He criticized Hegseth for appearing more passionate about fighting culture battles — including book banning, removing DEI from websites, and anti-vaccine positions — than winning actual military conflicts.
Coons condemned the firing of the Army's 44-year chief of staff during active warfare and the dismissal of the Navy Secretary during a naval blockade, expressing worry about its impact on military focus and morale. He also criticized Trump for focusing on a billion-dollar White House ballroom rather than achieving military victory, and opposed a proposed "golden fleet" of new battleships, arguing modern warfare demands smaller, faster, autonomous capabilities.
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