‘Beneath the dignity’ of the office: Veteran Democrats torch Hegseth’s speech

Reps. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., and Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., blasted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over his State of the Force address, with one of the veterans calling his speech “beneath the dignity” of his office.

“It is pathetic and it is infuriating to all of us who served, regardless of our party affiliation — it’s just beneath the dignity of this office,” Ryan told MS NOW’s Michael Steele.

During his remarks Wednesday, Hegseth railed against what he called a “woke” culture infecting the Defense Department and even used a transgender slur.

“We know he’s been about culture war BS rather than actually fighting and winning wars from the beginning,” said Ryan, a former U.S. Army intelligence officer who served two tours in Iraq. “But each time he does this performative stuff, it gets worse.”

Hegseth also took time to brag about the barrage of firings that have rocked the Pentagon since he took the helm.

“The number crunchers say we fired 10% of the generals and admirals across the force, and that number sounds about right,” he said. “And I know because I directed it.”

Hegseth said the Pentagon has also cut the number of general officer positions by an additional 10%, for a “20% reduction across the board.”

“The media calls that a purge,” he said. “I call it accountability and long overdue — and frankly, the bare minimum.”

Ryan said Hegseth has done “generational damage to our military,” which he called “one of the most and last remaining revered apolitical institutions” in the country.

“They’re just bringing a wrecking ball to it,” he told Steele.

Deluzio, a former U.S. Navy officer and Iraq War veteran, agreed with Ryan’s assessment.

“He’s pushed out so many qualified senior flag-rank general, admiral officers,” he said. “It’s really, really destabilized the military.”

Ryan also said it was important to put Hegseth’s speech into context.

“Let’s not forget: This is happening in the middle of essentially the most unpopular war in American history,” the New York Democrat said, referencing the Iran war. “So rather than focusing on the strategy, the resources, taking care of our troops, thinking about the eight sailors who attempted suicide on the most recent extended deployment, he’s doing this stuff?”

Deluzio said Hegseth was “spending all this time worried about testosterone levels for our troops” instead of “whether they were protected from drone and missile attacks when he started the Iran war.”

The two-term congressman said the war was not being lost “because of the testosterone levels of our troops” but because of President Donald Trump and Hegseth.

“They have failed this country,” he said.

“Our troops are the best. They deserve a heck of a lot better than Pete Hegseth leading the Pentagon right now,” Deluzio said.

You can watch Ryan and Deluzio’s full comments in the clip at the top of the page.

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