Rep. Chris Deluzio, a former Navy officer, tore into Pete Hegseth, blasting the defense secretary for having “caused a disaster” as the U.S.’ war with Iran continues with no end in sight.

“This is not a game,” the Pennsylvania Democrat told MS NOW’s Jonathan Capehart on Tuesday.

Deluzio said the administration has “bungled through this war,” which has now stretched into its seventh month, and Americans are paying the price.

“They never explained it to the American people — who, had they had a choice, would have said no,” he said. “That’s what the polling shows. That’s what my constituents and folks across Pennsylvania are saying: They don’t want this war; they want us to bring our troops home.”

“There are Americans’ lives at stake,” the Iraq War veteran added. “We’ve already seen Americans die in this war. This war has cost billions. This war has raised the cost of living for all of us in this country. It’s been a disaster.”

He told Capehart that President Donald Trump “ought to have fired” Hegseth “a long time ago” and “now’s as good a time as any to do it.” The Democrat cited the recent departure of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who submitted his resignation this week amid mounting tensions with Hegseth, two sources familiar with the matter told MS NOW. The congressman said Driscoll’s decision means that Hegseth is “now even more firmly in control of the Pentagon,” adding that the secretary has made a habit of pushing out “qualified and competent senior officers.”

Deluzio also called out Trump for his inaction and said he was “not paying attention to what’s happening in the military,” adding that he “needs to understand what is happening in this military that he leads” and recognize Hegseth “has failed.”

“If I were Donald Trump and looking for a fall guy for this war and its disaster, I’d be looking at Pete Hegseth,” he said.

You can watch Deluzio’s full interview in the clip at the top of the page.

The post Rep. Chris Deluzio, an Iraq War veteran, tears into Pete Hegseth: ‘This is not a game’ appeared first on MS NOW.

Author: Source Author

From MS Now.