Senator Hirono Grills Trump's Defense Nominee Hegseth on Orders to Seize Greenland, Panama Canal, and Shoot Protesters

Jan 14, 2025, 04:44 PM

During a Senate confirmation hearing, Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) questioned Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, on whether he would comply with orders to use military force against protesters or to seize foreign territories. Hirono specifically asked if Hegseth would carry out an order to shoot protesters in the legs, referencing a similar request allegedly made by Trump to former Defense Secretary Mark Esper in 2020. Hegseth did not directly answer the question about shooting protesters, instead mentioning his experience with the Washington DC National Guard during the 2020 protests where he noted that 50 secret service agents were injured. Additionally, Hirono inquired if Hegseth would follow orders to seize Greenland, a territory of NATO ally Denmark, or the Panama Canal by force. Hegseth responded by saying he would not publicly disclose his response to such orders, leading Hirono to interpret this as an indication that he would comply with such directives. Hegseth also emphasized that President Trump received 77 million votes to be the lawful Commander-in-Chief.