SHOCK MOMENT: Reed Tells Hegseth To His Face That It Doesn’t Seem Like He Tolerates All Religions

[0:00] Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, you recently fired the Honorary Chief of Staff, [0:06] General Randy George, who's one of the most distinguished and decorated officers of this [0:11] generation. General George's nomination came before us. We reviewed it thoroughly and we concurred. [0:20] Why did you fire General George? Well, as I did then and I'll say now, we thank General George [0:28] for his service. And out of respect to him and other officers, we never talk about the nature [0:34] of why certain officers are asked to step down. But we all serve at the pleasure of the President. [0:40] And ultimately, my view in coming into this department, as I stated in my confirmation hearing, [0:46] was to change the culture of the department. And it's ultimately challenging to change the [0:51] department, the culture of a department with the same people who are a part of or in that department. [0:56] So I have made many changes with General Officers. We will continue to make changes as necessary with [1:02] General Officers. And they will be in keeping with the trajectory of where we would like to [1:06] take the department. But it doesn't take away from the service of those. And I think you will note [1:11] that every officer that's been asked to leave has been treated with respect. Interesting. Of the two [1:20] dozen officers that you have fired for reasons unrelated to performance, since you have not indicated any [1:27] cores, 60 percent are black or females. Now, did the President direct you to single out female and [1:35] black officers to be dismissed? Senator, of course not. And as we've emphasized at this department from [1:44] the beginning, the only metric is merit. This this members on this committee and the previous leadership [1:51] of this department were focused on hype, you know, social engineering, race and gender in ways that we think [1:57] were unhealthy for the department, focusing on those things, making decisions based on those things. [2:03] In President Trump's War Department, we make decisions based on only one thing, [2:06] merit. And that's how we've made decisions going forward. That's how we've made them, [2:10] and that's how we'll make them going forward. Well, let me go back to General George. [2:13] What did he fail in terms of his lack of merit to continue serving? As I, as I said, I don't talk [2:22] about the nature of dismissal out of respect for these officers. But ultimately, we want to take the [2:28] department in a particular direction, certain services in a particular direction, and we want [2:32] leadership that's running as fast in that direction as possible. And in some cases, we make changes [2:36] accordingly, but do so out of respect to those officers. Well, I think that direction from your [2:42] behavior is an intense interest in Christianity, in nationalism, and in not recognizing the talents of [2:56] women and non-white gentlemen. And that's the wrong direction. I don't know what you're insinuating, [3:04] Senator, but I am not ashamed of my faith in Jesus Christ. Well, you shouldn't be ashamed. And if you [3:08] want to shame me for it, go ahead. I'm not ashamed of you, but are you critical of other faiths? I am a [3:17] believer. I'm quite open in that, and our department allows for a multitude of faiths. So I don't know what [3:21] you're suggesting. I've heard the likes of things that people like you suggest to try to smear my character, [3:27] and I won't give into it. No. I'm sorry, Mr. Secretary, but broadcasting before the national [3:38] religious broadcasters stressing the need for more Christianity in the military forces doesn't seem [3:44] like a neutral position in which you tolerate and accept all religions. Let me move on. The strategic [3:53] aspects of this operation in Iran. The president declared that we're going to destroy their missiles [4:01] and raise their missile industry to the ground. And after more than 13,000 strikes, unclassified [4:08] assessments conclude that Iran retains more than 40% of its drone arsenal and 60% of its ballistic missile [4:15] launches compared with pre-war levels. That's one of his objectives. The second objective was [4:26] regime change. To the great proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at [4:32] hand, and we will finish, take over your government. Well, when we finish, we'll take over your government. [4:37] That has not succeeded. And then one of his other things is the onset of the law of the president said, [4:44] we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. Military operations to Iran have not achieved [4:50] that goal yet. And it also seems to indicate that his pronouncements about Operation Midnight Hammer [4:59] obliterating the nuclear policy and structure of the Iranians was false. So you have not achieved any of [5:07] the objectives yet that has the president mentioned. Well, in this setting, I won't talk about the nature of [5:14] metrics which are classified, as you know, Senator. But I can say that looking at the objectives we set [5:20] out to achieve from the beginning, some of which you laid out, our military objectives have been [5:27] stunningly effective. Take, for example, their defense industrial base. They're completely incapable [5:33] at scale at any level of reconstituting the capabilities you referred to, which is a devastating [5:39] result for any country, especially one whose ambitions are as wide as Iran's. So we've put [5:45] the president in a very strong position to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. That's the [5:51] takeaway that's been underneath every single aspect of this. For 47 years, Iran's trying to blackmail its [5:56] way to a nuclear weapon. They were closer than ever before because of bad deals under previous [6:00] administration. President Trump was willing to do something about it and not allow their conventional [6:05] missile shield. That's the North Korea strategy. That's, to be clear, what Iran was pursuing. [6:11] Hiding their nuclear ambitions, revealing them over time, and then building a conventional shield of [6:17] missiles so powerful that no country would challenge them for fear of what would happen if they unleashed [6:22] that arsenal. Weekend after the 12-day war in Midnight Hammer, which did obliterate their sites, [6:28] President Trump saw an opportunity because their ambitions continued to ensure that umbrella of nuclear [6:34] blackmail did not allow them to get to a nuclear weapon. And the world is safer because of his bold and [6:40] historic choice. Mr. Secretary, I think that's rhetorical but not factual. Thank you.