logo
Pete Hegseth hints disobeying court order and maintaining troop deployment in LA, leaving Democrats baffled

Pete Hegseth hints disobeying court order and maintaining troop deployment in LA, leaving Democrats baffled

First Post19-06-2025
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth left Democrats baffled during a Senate committee hearing after he suggested that he would not obey a federal court ruling against the deployments of National Guard troops and US Marines to Los Angeles read more
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth attends the annual White House Easter Egg Roll event, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, US, April 21, 2025. File Image/Reuters
The US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth , suggested on Wednesday that he would not obey if a federal court ruled against the deployments of National Guard troops and US Marines to the ongoing protests in Los Angeles , California. The remarks from Hegseth came during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
US President Donald Trump's administration has been facing numerous lawsuits over its policies, especially the government's crackdown on immigration. In several instances, the administration has even avoided complying with court orders it dislikes. In response to this pattern, Democrats argued that Trump is sending the country into a constitutional crisis.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
It is pertinent to note that the state of California has sued over Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to the ongoing LA protests against raids conducted by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Last week, a federal judge ruled that the control of soldiers should return to California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom.
Hegesth echoes Trump's rhetoric
After the federal court's order, an appeals court stayed that ruling. However, the arguments produced by Hegeseth on Tuesday sounded like the Trump administration is willing to defy Trump's order and keep soldiers under the POTUS's authority. 'I don't believe district courts should be determining national security policy. When it goes to the Supreme Court, we'll see,' Hegseth told the Democratic senator Mazie Hirono during the hearing.
'If the Supreme Court rules on a topic, we will abide by that," he replied when faced with a similar question posed by US Senator Elizabeth Warren. Meanwhile, GOP senators present at the hearing were dissatisfied by the fact that the meeting, which was intended to focus on the Pentagon's budgetary needs for the forthcoming fiscal year, derailed into issues of the LA protests and the ongoing Iran-Israel tensions .
During the hearing, Senator Slotkin asked whether troops deployed in southern California were allowed to arrest protesters or shoot them in the legs. 'If necessary, in their self-defence, they could temporarily detain and hand over to [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]. But there's no arresting going on,' replied.
On Friday, US Marines temporarily took into custody a US citizen who was protesting at a federal building in Los Angeles. When Slotkin asked the question about troops shooting protesters, Hegesth laughed before delivering his response. 'Senator, I'd be careful what you read in books and believe in, except for the Bible," Hegseth exclaimed. An exasperated Slotkin replied: 'Oh my God.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
On the question of hearing
The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict also took centre stage at the Senate committee hearing. The matter was discussed as Trump has publicly mulled the possibility that the United States might strike Iran. When asked if the Pentagon is planning to topple the Iranian regime, Hegseth replied: 'We have plans for everything'.
Hegseth was also questioned about his order to revert the names of military bases renamed by former US President Joe Biden. The ex-Democratic president renamed the bases because they honoured figures in the Confederacy. While commenting on the order, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine said that in his state, several bases had been renamed under Biden in honour of accomplished veterans and their families were never officially told that the names would be changed back.
'You didn't call any of the families, and I've spoken with the families, and the families were called by the press. That's how they learned about this. They learned about it from the press,' Kaine said. The Senator went on to ask Hegseth to pause the renaming of these bases.
However, the defence secretary declined to do so. 'We'll find ways to recognise them," he said. Democrats went on to slam Hegseth for turmoil in the ranks of his top aides, questioning his handling of the department.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Brazil to join South Africa's Gaza genocide case against Israel at ICJ
Brazil to join South Africa's Gaza genocide case against Israel at ICJ

The Hindu

time16 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Brazil to join South Africa's Gaza genocide case against Israel at ICJ

Brazil is finalizing its submission to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel's actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday (July 23, 2025). South Africa filed a case in 2023 asking the ICJ to declare that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The case argues that in its war against Hamas militants Israel's military actions go beyond targeting Hamas alone by attacking civilians, with strikes on schools, hospitals, camps, and shelters. Other countries – including Spain, Turkey, and Colombia – have also sought to join the case against Israel. In its statement, the Brazilian government accused Israel of violations of international law "such as the annexation of territories by force" and expressed "deep indignation" at violence suffered by the civilian population. Israel denies deliberately targeting Palestinian civilians, saying its sole interest is to annihilate Hamas. Lawyers for Israel have dismissed South Africa's case as an abuse of the genocide convention. The Israeli embassy in Brasilia did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Brazil's National Israeli association CONIB said in a statement in response to Wednesday's decision that "the breaking of Brazil's long-standing friendship and partnership with Israel is a misguided move that proves the extremism of our foreign policy." Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has long been an outspoken critic of Israel's actions in Gaza, but Wednesday's decision carries added significance amid heightened tensions between Brazil and Israel's ally the United States. The Trump administration announced 50% tariffs on all Brazilian goods this month. A diplomat familiar with the thinking of the Lula administration told Reuters that Brazil does not believe its decision to join South Africa's case will impact its relationship with Washington, however. The United States has opposed South Africa's genocide case under both former President Joe Biden and Trump. In February, Trump signed an executive order to cut U.S. financial assistance to South Africa, citing in part its ICJ case.

House Speaker Johnson breaks with Trump, says Epstein scandal ‘not a hoax'
House Speaker Johnson breaks with Trump, says Epstein scandal ‘not a hoax'

First Post

time16 minutes ago

  • First Post

House Speaker Johnson breaks with Trump, says Epstein scandal ‘not a hoax'

Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal was 'not a hoax' in an interview released on Thursday, as the case continued to stoke turmoil within President Donald Trump's party. read more US House Speaker Mike Johnson said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal was 'not a hoax,' directly countering President Donald Trump's repeated attempts to downplay the issue as fresh disclosures continue to stir unrest within the Republican Party. 'It's not a hoax. Of course not,' Johnson said in an interview with CBS News, released on Thursday. Trump, who had known Epstein personally, has repeatedly dismissed the renewed scrutiny as 'the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax' and called on Republicans to drop the matter. His efforts have so far failed to unite the party, which remains divided over how to proceed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On Tuesday, Johnson said he would send lawmakers on their summer recess a day earlier than planned, partly to avoid a contentious debate over releasing more documents related to Epstein. Epstein died in a New York City jail in 2019, a death ruled as suicide by the city's chief medical examiner. Even so, a Republican-controlled subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday approved a subpoena seeking all Justice Department files on Epstein. Three Republicans joined five Democrats to back the effort, in a sign that Trump's party was not ready to move on from the issue. 'We want full transparency. We want everybody who is involved in any way with the Epstein evils — let's call it what it was — to be brought to justice as quickly as possible. We want the full weight of the law on their heads,' Johnson told CBS in the interview, conducted on Wednesday. A disclosure on Wednesday about Trump's appearance in the Justice Department's case records threatened to deepen a political crisis that has engulfed his administration for weeks. The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump in May that his name appeared in investigative files related to Epstein. With inputs from agencies

Trump's diktat to Google, Microsoft, and other tech giants, asks them to stop Indian…, rules about H-1B visa might…
Trump's diktat to Google, Microsoft, and other tech giants, asks them to stop Indian…, rules about H-1B visa might…

India.com

time16 minutes ago

  • India.com

Trump's diktat to Google, Microsoft, and other tech giants, asks them to stop Indian…, rules about H-1B visa might…

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has asked big tech companies of America like Google, Microsoft to stop hiring in India. Trump said in the AI Summit held in Washington DC on Wednesday, July 23, that America's biggest tech companies take advantage of our freedom, but set up factories in China and recruit people from India. What did Donald Trump say about Google and Microsoft? Donald Trump said that we want companies like Google, Microsoft to give priority to American workers as this is in the interest of the country. Trump criticized the globalist mind set of tech companies and said that Americans should get jobs first. According to Trump, companies are killing the rights of American talent by investing money on factories and employees abroad. Trump made these comments at the AI Summit held in Washington DC on 23 July. How will it affect India's tech sector? India's IT sector may be affected by this statement as Google, Microsoft and other tech companies have millions of employees in India. These companies run large offices in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune. Apart from this, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, in 2023, 72% of H-1B visas were given to Indians, mostly in areas like data science, Artificial Intelligence, and cyber security. Trump's policy may make H-1B visa rules more stringent, making it difficult for Indian tech professionals to get jobs in the US. Also, due to less new recruitment in India, pressure on IT companies and startups will increase. When Trump threatened Apple CEO Tim Cook Earlier in May, Trump had threatened Apple about making iPhones in India as he said that iPhones sold in the USA should be manufactured in the US, not in India or any other country. Trump said that he has previously directly told Apple CEO Tim Cook that if Apple does not make iPhones in the US, a tariff of at least 25% will be imposed on the company. After this threat from Trump, Apple's stock fell 4% to $193. However, despite Trump's threat to Apple, 78% of iPhones sold in the USA are being made in India.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store