Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) grilled Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on his declaration that there would be “no quarter” and “no mercy” for the enemy in the ongoing Iran conflict.
Hegseth testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the ongoing Iran conflict, the Department of Defense budget and recent staff changes. His opening statement was interrupted by a protester blasting the Iran war.
Kelly told Hegseth the Iran war feels “stuck” and grilled him on depleted munitions stocks due to the war. The senator wrapped up his time by asking Hegseth to “clarify” a March statement in which he said enemy combatants would be given “no quarter” and “no mercy.”
“It’s my understanding that the definition of no quarter is that legitimate offers of surrender will be refused or that detainees will be executed. Is that your understanding of the definition?” Kelly asked.
“Well, the only entity that would kill detainees or target civilians is the Iranians, and they’re the ones being crushed, the Iranian military and their military capabilities,” Hegseth responded. “I disagree completely with the articulation.”
“No, do you understand the definition that I just read you because that’s the definition from your department’s Law of War manual. Is that your understanding? And I’m going to just get to the point here,” Kelly said as Hegseth jumped in again.
“We fight to win and we follow the law, senator,” Hegseth said.
“Okay, so your quote was, we will keep pushing, keep advancing, no quarter, no mercy for our enemies. And yesterday, you did not clarify whether you stand by this statement. So I’m going to give you another opportunity to clarify if that is what you meant. Do you stand by that statement you made on March 13th?” Kelly asked.
“We have untied the hands of our warfighters. We fight to win, and we follow the law,” Hegseth said.
“Okay, so you’re not clarifying,” Kelly responded. “You stand by that statement. So you’re the Secretary of Defense. The things you say matter and your response here right now makes it clear to the American people exactly why you are not right for this job.”
“It makes it clear to our enemies, senator,” Hegseth shot back.
Kelly and Hegseth have had an adversarial relationship over the years. The senator announced a civil lawsuit against Hegseth in January for starting an administrative action that would have seen Kelly, a retired Navy captain, demoted and his pension cut down.
Hegseth, a retired Army Major, accused Kelly of “sedition” over a video in which Kelly and other Democrat lawmakers urged members of the military to avoid “illegal” orders given by President Donald Trump and his administration.
“His unconstitutional crusade against me sends a chilling message to every retired member of the military: if you speak out and say something that the President or Secretary of Defense doesn’t like, you will be censured, threatened with demotion, or even prosecuted,” Kelly said when announcing his lawsuit.
Watch above via CSPAN.
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