Sen. Jon Ossoff presses Pete Hegseth during Senate hearing

newsJul 21, 2026561,820

At a Senate hearing, Sen. Jon Ossoff repeatedly pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over Hegseth's past claims that strikes on Iran had rendered its military "combat ineffective" and achieved "every single objective." Ossoff asked directly whether Iran's military had been rendered combat ineffective for years, and Hegseth replied that it had been "set back decades," then declined to answer when pressed about the accuracy of his earlier total-victory assertions. Lawmakers from both parties challenged Hegseth on broader Iran strategy and budget requests; Sen. Gary Peters told Hegseth "You are the failure," and Sen. John Kennedy demanded "straight answers." Hegseth defended his funding request as "urgent, necessary" to restock the Pentagon and warned of looming shortfalls, but he declined to comment about a possible ground invasion. The hearing also featured scrutiny of the Pentagon's new testosterone screening policy for troops and reporting that the Iran bombing effort has cost $37.5 billion, details that senators said require clearer explanations from the Defense Department. The exchange left Hegseth visibly flustered in multiple lawmakers' remarks and prompted calls from Democrats and some Republicans for clearer accountability on strategy and spending.

PBS News

@pbsnews.org

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday that he has failed U.S. troops. https://to.pbs.org/4yviPj2

3083h ago

Cyfan817

Sen. Peters is not wrong. Kegsbreath should take his creepy fixation on the male body to some dark alley far away from anything pertaining to the US gov’t.

Uralriver4

Failed?! Hegseth, doesn’t belong in government! I want a drug and alcohol screen!!

Conscientious Ice🧊4

Pete Hegseth is a walking Article 15

Kuragari 4

At what point has Pete Smegbreath been anything but a blight on our country?

Cyfan812

Oof!! Just watched the footage of Sen. Peters’ comments to Kegsbreath!! Hoowee! He let him have it. Got under the skin of Kegsbreath big time. Keggy turned belligerent, of course.

scienceplease.bsky.social2

But has he failed his audience of one?

Anu

@nofirstorder.bsky.social

Jon Ossoff dissecting him in real time like a high school biology specimen is chef's kiss.

3505h ago

debscheetzam.bsky.social2

He’s a gem. Hang on to him, Georgia.

Will Bunch

@willbunch.bsky.social

Have Jon Ossoff and Isaac Chotiner ever been photographed together?

1735h ago

The Bulwark

@thebulwark.com

"These guys are holding on and struggling with the aging process, and so they are overcompensating." @samsteindc.bsky.social and @joe-scarborough.bsky.social discuss Pete Hegseth’s fixation on testosterone and the constant need to prove he’s the toughest guy in the room.

1083h ago

The Bulwark23

Watch the full episode of the Bulwark Podcast at The Bulwark and YouTube, or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts:

Quoting this

Missing Ingredient Goddess2

Why can't they just buy a big, shiny red sports car?

@bstnboy.bsky.social

Jon Ossoff undressed Whiskey Pete who then took it out on Senator Gary Peters....lost his shit, told Senator Peters that he had "Trump Derangement Syndrome"!!!!!!!

655h ago

They Say3

Ossoff was stoic and didn't raise the pitch in his voice. Ossoff made Hegseth angry, sweaty and uncomfortable before Gary Peters finished him off, lol.

Kanela3

Pete needs to be charged for war crimes

BlueSparkler1

There's only one with derangement syndrome up there --and it isn't Lieutenant Commander Gary Peters.

Dean Obeidallah

@deanobeidallah.bsky.social

Retired US Army Major Harrison Mann explains on my SiriusXM show that Pete Hegseth is a failure several times over as Secretary of Defense. As a result, more Americans have died and will die in the Iran war than needed to. youtu.be/wr0gztiZhqQ

502h ago

Greg (Big Dog)3

Failure is the mother of all understatements regarding Hegseth.

The Washington Post

@washingtonpost.com

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced bipartisan scrutiny in the Senate, frustrating some who pressed him to explain the administration’s strategy in Iran amid renewed hostilities. “We need straight answers,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana).

533h ago

goodsportep.bsky.social1

But he’s an unethical moron…what rational person would expect a logical explanation out of him?

Quoting this

Steve Kenson ❌👑5

“You need straight answers, Senator? Then you probably shouldn’t have voted to confirm a lying weasel to the job.”

Rep. James Walkinshaw

@repwalkinshaw.bsky.social

I’ve seen Pete Hegseth in classified briefings, and I’m embarrassed for him. He can do nothing beyond read the script that’s been given to him.

433h ago

🇺🇸𝕀𝕟𝕕𝕪 ℝ𝕖𝕗𝕦𝕘𝕖𝕖🇺🇸 𝖤𝗇𝖽𝗅𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝖨𝗋𝖺𝗇

@indyrefugee.bsky.social

Jon Ossoff is not at all intimidated by Pete Hegseth’s makeup.

475h ago

Jess Craven ❌👑

@jesscraven101.bsky.social

Pete Hegseth needs a stiff drink—or several—after today’s Senate hearings. Kudos to Senator Ossoff for the best exchange of the day!

37Just now

Meidas Rick ❌🚫🇺🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦🇬🇱💙🐸

@sgtrick.bsky.social

RFK Jr. literally stopped $1 billion in Medicaid funding the same day Pete Hegseth asked Congress for $1.5 trillion for his war. Americans are begging for scraps to afford healthcare while Trump spends all of our money for war on another continent. Coincidence? Nope.

343h ago

The Weeknight on MS NOW

@weeknightmsnow.bsky.social

“Hegseth is full of himself and full of it”: Michael Steele slams Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s appearance on Capitol Hill where he asked for more taxpayer dollars to fund Donald Trump’s war of choice with Iran.

343h ago

Karen Lewis 🚫🤴 🇺🇸🇺🇦 🇬🇱1

Why does he need $1.5T if only spent $37.5B —this reeks

Blue Georgia

@bluegeorgia.bsky.social

Jon Ossoff destroys Pete Hegseth on whether he had prematurely declared total victory over Iran when he claimed Iran's military was "combat ineffective for years," its nuclear sites were obliterated, and "every single objective" had been achieved.

383h ago

Raw Story

@rawstory.com

A GOP senator lost his cool and demanded "straight answers" while questioning Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about the Iran war.

333h ago

Citizen A Speaks4

EVERYONE: Just name people in your headlines. Ffs

Some Random Dude2

Sounds more like he was fluffing him

Unstable Genius1

It's funny how the Senate keeps being like, "Can't see any reason why this person's decades of problematic behavior should disqualify them from a cabinet position!" and then somehow manages to be surprised every time the unqualified psychopaths misbehave.

Reverend Aiden

@sweetfnlucifer.bsky.social

You gotta give Jon Ossoff his fucking props, man. He verbally disemboweled Pete Hegseth to his face without even raising his voice, all while his eyes screamed "I'm going to eat your fucking soul." Real impressive.

422h ago

2 sources

apnews.com5 shares washingtonpost.com3 shares

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Sen. Jon Ossoff presses Pete Hegseth during Senate hearing

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