‘You answer to us’: Hegseth slammed for saying he only answers to Trump, senators, and God
Donald Trump's embattled nominee for U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, appeared angry and defensive Thursday afternoon in the halls of Congress as he lashed out at reporters, saying he does not answer to them, he only answers to Donald Trump, the U.S. Senators who may vote on his confirmation, and his "lord and savior." Moments later, he added his wife, who was standing behind him, and his family to the list.
The video (below) of his remarks, which has gone viral with well over a quarter-million views in just two hours, has drawn outrage.
Saying he's "proud" of what he fought for and is "not gonna back down from them one bit," Hegseth, a Fox News weekend co-host, snapped at reporters. "I will answer all of these senators' questions, but this will not be a process tried in the media."
"I don't answer to anyone in this group," he told the press.
"None of you, not to that camera at all," he said, as he began pointing. "I answer to President Trump, who received 76 million votes on behalf — and a mandate for change. I answer to the 50 — the 100 — senators who are part of this process and those in the committee, and I answer to my lord and savior. And my wife and my family."
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Hegseth has been dogged by numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, sexual infidelity, possible intoxication on the job, "aggressive drunkenness," sexist behavior, financial mismanagement, and tattoos which suggest an affinity for Christian nationalism.
"And as long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight, I'm gonna be standing right here in this fight, fighting to bring our Pentagon back to what it needs to be," Hegseth vowed.
Fred Wellman is an Army veteran of 22 years who served four combat tours, and is now a political consultant and the host of the podcast “On Democracy.”
"You pointed right at me Pete," Wellman said in response to Hegseth's angry remarks. "You answer to us...the American people. We don't get to ask you questions but the media does. This pompous ass needs to get the f**k out of this game now."
Political commentator, MSNBC contributor, and New York Times bestselling author Brian Tyler Cohen noted: "Not here to serve Americans, but rather to serve Trump. The perfect encapsulation of MAGA."
The Bulwark's Marc Caputo noted, "this is the type of defiant prime-time performance Trump loves."
Texas Democratic Strategist Olivia Julianna observed, "Actually the entire point of being a public servant is serving the public…"
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The Bulwark's Joe Perticone appeared to mock Hegseth: "'I don't answer to anyone in this group. None of you. Not to that camera at all.' he says while gesturing to his most recent employer's camera."
Carey Lohrenz, whose bio says she is "the first female F-14 Tomcat Fighter Pilot in the U.S. Navy," and a best-selling author, remarked, simply, "Such hubris."
Watch the video below or at this link.
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