Debate on Military Strategy and Funding

You talk about the destruction of missiles,

and yet the missiles that we saw hit recent targets are actually somehow

more lethal, more deadly, more maneuverable than what we have seen in the past,

so they're obviously improving their munitions.

The Strait of Hormuz is still closed, reminding everybody it was open

before the war.

Prices were lower for everybody until the war,

and it still remains closed, and of course, tragically, people, servicemembers,

our warfighters who we care deeply about, are still dying.

So what's different?

Mr. Hegseth, Secretary Hegseth.

I think your characterization of this incredible effort as a failure is reckless,

and I think it's irresponsible, and I think it smears

the sacrifice of the troops that are out there making on behalf of the American

people to ensure that Iran never gets a new government. It's a nuclear weapon.

Shame on you and others who call this a quagmire and a failure,

and then you want to turn around and say you support the warfighter.

Either you do or you don't.

Is the nuclear material still there, sir?

I can get you a ticket out to CENTCOM and talk to what those Americans are doing,

how committed they are to this effort, and how they want to ensure that Iran never

threatens their families with a nuclear weapon.

That's the kind of intensity that our warfighters have about making

sure that Iran isn't capable of doing that.

Secretary Hegseth, if you listened to my comments, you would have heard

me say how amazing our warfighters are.

I heard failure. I heard exactly what you said.

I will tell you how I used the word failure,

because I used the word failure to their leaders.

You, sir, are the failure,

not the men and women who are on that front line, not the men and

women who hold up their honor with distinction.

But if there's a lack of a winning strategy, they're in harm's way.

Their leaders have failed them.

And that's what's happening We have political leadership you you don't have a

strategy You don't have a long term plan to actually win this

war win the war The men and women are gonna be able to do it,

but they need to have leadership When will you

show some leadership and stand up your fellow Democrats who won't fund the troops

who stand and

play partisan politics Why you don't give us the money you want to stand up here

and talk about the troops You won't show any political courage to

actually fund our department because you have Trump Trump derangement syndrome and

can't actually commit to anything meaningful So I put this on you senator sergeant

Higgs if you have trillions you

have over a trillion dollars You're asking for one and a half trillion dollars.

It's not a question

of money It's a question of leadership and understanding what it takes

to actually win political cowardice of Democrats who won't fund the troops