In a heated exchange during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Senator Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) effort to box in Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s defense secretary nominee, fell flat as her line of questioning took an unexpected turn. Warren, known for her aggressive grilling style, aimed to extract a promise from Hegseth that he would steer clear of the defense industry for a decade after his tenure in her opening.
“Will you agree, when you leave the Defense Department, you won’t work for the defense industry for 10 years?” she asked, pressing the nominee on ethics.
Hegseth, remaining composed, responded, “It’s not even something I’ve thought about.”
Unimpressed, Warren pushed further, demanding clarity. “I just need a yes or no here. Time is short,” she insisted, cutting off Hegseth before he could elaborate.
“I would consult with the President about what the policy should be at the Defense Department,” Hegseth said, refusing to commit to a blanket pledge. Warren then escalated her line of questioning, drawing a comparison to military leaders. “So every general should wait 10 years, but not you?”
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🚨 BREAKING: Pete Hegseth embarrasses Elizabeth Warren when her gotcha backfires. 😂 pic.twitter.com/ySULm1krKu
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) January 14, 2025
That’s when Hegseth delivered his final response, effectively disarming Warren’s attack. “I’m not a general, Senator,” he said with