Hegseth Faces More Grilling in Congress06/18 06:44

   

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is returning to Capitol 
Hill on Wednesday for the last in a series of often combative hearings before 
lawmakers, who have pressed him on everything from a ban on transgender troops 
to his use of a Signal chat to share sensitive military plans.

   The questions -- which also have touched on his firings of top military 
leaders and even some of his inner circle of advisers -- may be dominated by 
the escalation of airstrikes between Iran and Israel that threaten a 
potentially devastating regional war. But he is still expected to face sharp 
questions about his chaotic tenure, his opposition to women in combat jobs and 
efforts to shift funding from troop housing to border security.

   The U.S. has shifted significant numbers of refueling tanker and fighter 
aircraft to position them to be able to respond if needed to the conflict, such 
as possible evacuations or airstrikes. Hegseth said this week that was done to 
protect U.S. personnel and airbases.

   "We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a 
peace deal. And we certainly hope that's what happens here," he told Fox News 
Channel. "And America first means we're going to defend American personnel and 
American interests."

   Hegseth's testimony last week in three congressional hearings also was taken 
over by events, with the Trump administration dispatching the National Guard 
and 700 active-duty Marines to the protests in Los Angeles against California 
Gov. Gavin Newsom's wishes. It came just ahead of a massive military parade to 
celebrate the Army's 250th birthday, which coincided with President Donald 
Trump's birthday.

   In the previous hearings -- where Hegseth was appearing to discuss the 
Pentagon's spending plan -- lawmakers made it clear they are unhappy that 
Hegseth has not provided full details on the administration's first proposed 
defense budget.

   Trump has said it would total $1 trillion, a significant increase over the 
current spending level of more than $800 billion.

   Hegseth, who is appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on 
Wednesday, has spent vast amounts of time during his first months in office 
promoting the social changes he's making at the Pentagon. He's been far less 
visible in the administration's more critical international security crises and 
negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and Iran.

   For example, Hegseth directed the renaming of a Navy ship that had honored 
Harvey Milk, a slain gay rights activist who served as a sailor during the 
Korean War. He also has touted other moves to eradicate diversity, equity and 
inclusion programs and said a ban on transgender troops in the military was a 
way to regain the "warrior ethos."

   It will be Hegseth's first time before some senators since he squeaked 
through his Senate confirmation with a tie-breaking vote. It was the closest 
vote of any Trump Cabinet member.

   While he has talked a lot about making the military more lethal, it was his 
use of the unclassified, unsecured Signal messaging app that quickly caught 
public attention.

   Set up by then-national security adviser Mike Waltz, a group chat that 
included Hegseth and other senior administration leaders was used to share 
information about upcoming military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

   The chat came to light because the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey 
Goldberg, was inadvertently added to it. Waltz took responsibility for the 
gaffe, but Hegseth was roundly criticized for sharing details about the 
military strikes in that chat and in another one that included his wife and 
brother.

   The Pentagon's watchdog is looking into Hegseth's use of Signal and expected 
to issue a report soon.