Congressional Cowards is a weekly sequence highlighting the worst Donald Trump defenders on Capitol Hill, who refuse to criticize him—regardless of how disgraceful or lawless his actions.
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth is digging in after the newest bombshell report that he shared categorized struggle plans in one more Sign group chat—this time together with his spouse, brother, and private lawyer.
However as an alternative of condemning Hegseth’s clear mishandling of delicate army data, GOP lawmakers are circling the wagons, making the insane declare that Hegseth is being taken down by some kind of nefarious deep state inside the Pentagon somewhat than his personal dangerous choices.
“The D.C. international coverage institution is getting determined. They’ve tried to take out [Hegseth] twice. Everybody is aware of precisely what they’re doing. It will not work. As a member of the Senate Armed Providers Committee, I’ve full religion and confidence in his management,” Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri wrote on X.
And Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee made a equally absurd accusation.
“Deep State leakers contained in the Pentagon are attempting to sabotage [Hegseth]. They’re scared of the daring, America-First reforms President Trump is delivering. The D.C. cartel is in full-blown panic mode. Their desperation says all of it: we’re profitable—and historical past will show us proper,” he wrote on X.
However these have been removed from essentially the most ridiculous defenses of Hegseth.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, a famous douchebag who berated teenage Senate pages for taking pictures within the Capitol rotunda, mentioned that Hegseth was above reproach as a result of he served within the army after 9/11—as if that absolves him of any wrongdoing.
“I don’t wish to hear from any wholesome American that was of combating age on 9/11 who didn’t be part of the army and deploy to fight speaking shit about [Hegseth]. You had your probability to serve our Nation when She wanted you and also you didn’t. Stand down, the Warriors will take,” he wrote on X.
And Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, who helped push to get Hegseth confirmed regardless of his quite a few scandals, additionally mentioned that he’s sticking by the previous Fox Information host.
“I’ll lead the breach. I’ll lay down cowl hearth. I’ll take the excessive floor. I’ll expose myself to enemy hearth to speak. We should carry again integrity, focus, and put the Warfighter first inside DOD. I stand with [Hegseth],” he wrote on X.
Even the complete Republican cohort on the Home Overseas Affairs Committee defended Hegseth,
“Pete Hegseth is a warfighter and he’s serving to President Trump be certain that our nation is worthy of the sacrifice of our women and men in uniform,” they wrote on X.
In the meantime, Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida tried to make use of whataboutism to defend Hegseth throughout an look on CNN, which—unsurprisingly—didn’t go properly.
“No person was saying a phrase when Lloyd Austin, the earlier protection secretary, disappeared for a month. No person might discover him,” Donalds deflected.
Thus far, just one Republican has referred to as for Hegseth to resign: Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, one of the weak GOP lawmakers within the Home who represents a district that Vice President Kamala Harris carried in 2024.
“The army ought to at all times pleasure itself on operational safety. If the experiences are true, the Secretary of Protection has failed at operational safety, and that’s unacceptable. If a Democrat did this we would be demanding a scalp. I do not like hypocrisy. We must be Individuals first relating to safety,” he instructed Axios.
However don’t anticipate different Republicans to affix Bacon anytime quickly.
Based on Politico, Republicans are afraid that calling for Hegseth to resign will get them on President Donald Trump’s dangerous aspect.
“Everybody is aware of he’s a joke, however he’s the man to do pushups with the troops,” a former congressional aide instructed Politico. “Plus, not many wish to publicly say something proper now and get on Trump’s dangerous aspect.”
Now that’s the definition of cowardice.
