WASHINGTON (AP) — Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth instructed lawmakers Wednesday that the Pentagon was offering doable choices to President Donald Trump as he decides subsequent steps on Iran however wouldn’t say whether or not the army was planning to help with Israeli strikes, an motion that would danger dragging America right into a wider struggle within the Center East.
Hegseth was on Capitol Hill for the final of his sequence of typically combative hearings earlier than lawmakers, who’ve pressed him on all the things from a ban on transgender troops to his use of a Sign chat to share delicate army plans earlier this 12 months.
In questioning earlier than the Senate Armed Providers Committee, Hegseth mentioned “maximum force protection” was being supplied for U.S. troops within the Center East and that it’s Trump’s choice whether or not to supply Israel a ”bunker buster” bomb to strike on the core of Iran’s nuclear program, which might require U.S. pilots flying a B-2 stealth bomber. He wouldn’t point out what the U.S. might do subsequent.
Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg through Getty Photos
Israel has struck a number of Iranian nuclear services within the final a number of days however considered one of its key uranium manufacturing websites, Fordo, requires the deep penetrating munition.
Trump wouldn’t say Wednesday whether or not he has determined to order a U.S. strike on Iran, a transfer that Tehran warned anew can be greeted with stiff retaliation if it occurs.
“I may do it, I may not do it,” Trump mentioned in an alternate with reporters on the White Home. “I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
Trump added that it’s not “too late” for Iran to surrender its nuclear program as he continues to weigh direct U.S. involvement in Israel’s army operations aimed toward crushing Tehran’s nuclear program.
Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier Wednesday warned that america that strikes focusing on the Islamic Republic will “result in irreparable damage for them” and that his nation wouldn’t heed to Trump’s name for Iran to again down.
“I say good luck,” Trump mentioned when requested in regards to the supreme chief’s refusal to give up.
Hegseth mentioned the U.S. army was readying choices for Trump.
“They should have made a deal. President Trump’s word means something ― the world understands that. And at the Defense Department, our job is to stand ready and prepared with options. And that’s precisely what we’re doing,” Hegseth mentioned.
Evan Vucci through Related Press
The U.S. has shifted important numbers of refueling tanker and fighter plane to place them to have the ability to reply to the escalating battle, similar to supporting doable evacuations, or airstrikes. Hegseth mentioned this week that was performed to guard U.S. personnel and airbases.
Hegseth’s testimony final week in three congressional hearings additionally was taken over by occasions, with the Trump administration dispatching the Nationwide Guard and 700 active-duty Marines to the protests in Los Angeles towards California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s needs. It got here simply forward of a large army parade to have fun the Military’s 250th birthday, which coincided with Trump’s birthday.
Within the earlier hearings — the place Hegseth appeared to debate the Pentagon’s spending plan — lawmakers made it clear they’re sad that Hegseth has not supplied full particulars on the administration’s first proposed protection finances.
Trump has mentioned it could complete $1 trillion, a major enhance over the present spending stage of greater than $800 billion.
Hegseth, who’s showing earlier than the Senate Armed Providers Committee on Wednesday, has spent huge quantities of time throughout his first months in workplace selling the social modifications he’s making on the Pentagon. He’s been far much less seen within the administration’s extra crucial worldwide safety crises and negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and Iran.
For instance, Hegseth directed the renaming of a Navy ship that had honored Harvey Milk, a slain homosexual rights activist who served as a sailor throughout the Korean Struggle. He additionally has touted different strikes to eradicate variety, fairness and inclusion applications and mentioned a ban on transgender troops within the army was a strategy to regain the “warrior ethos.”
Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg through Getty Photos
Wednesday’s listening to was the primary time Hegseth has gone earlier than some senators since he squeaked by his Senate affirmation with a tie-breaking vote. It was the closest vote of any Trump Cupboard member.
Whereas he has talked rather a lot about making the army extra deadly, it was his use of the unclassified, unsecured Sign messaging app that rapidly caught public consideration.
Arrange by then-national safety adviser Mike Waltz, a bunch chat that included Hegseth and different senior administration leaders was used to share details about upcoming army strikes towards Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The chat got here to mild as a result of the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, was inadvertently added to it. Waltz took accountability for the gaffe, however Hegseth was roundly criticized for sharing particulars in regards to the army strikes in that chat and in one other one which included his spouse and brother.
The Pentagon’s watchdog is trying into Hegseth’s use of Sign and anticipated to difficulty a report quickly.
