Hegseth says the Pentagon has given Trump options for Israel-Iran
conflict
[June 19, 2025]
By TARA COPP, DAVID KLEPPER and AAMER MADHANI
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers
Wednesday that the Pentagon was providing options to President Donald
Trump as he decides next steps on Iran but would not say whether the
military was planning to assist with Israeli strikes, an action that
could risk dragging America into a wider war in the Middle East.
Hegseth was on Capitol Hill for the last of a series of combative
hearings before lawmakers, who have pressed him on everything from a ban
on transgender troops to his use of a Signal chat to share sensitive
military plans earlier this year.
In questioning before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hegseth said
“maximum force protection" was being provided for U.S. troops in the
Middle East and that it is Trump’s decision whether to provide Israel a
”bunker buster" bomb to strike at the core of Iran's nuclear program,
which would require U.S. pilots flying a B-2 stealth bomber. He would
not indicate what the U.S. may do next.
“They should have made a deal. President Trump’s word means something —
the world understands that," Hegseth said of Trump pressing Iran to
agree to a deal during U.S. talks over Tehran's rapidly developing
nuclear program.
"And at the Defense Department, our job is to stand ready and prepared
with options. And that’s precisely what we’re doing,” Hegseth said.
Options for Israel
Hegseth said the U.S. military was readying options for Trump, noting
that it’s his job to provide the president with options and what the
ramifications could be.
Trump would not say Wednesday whether he has decided to order a U.S.
strike on Iran, a move that Tehran warned anew would be greeted with
stiff retaliation.
Israel has struck multiple Iranian nuclear facilities in the past
several days, but one of its key uranium production sites, Fordo,
requires the deep penetrating munition from the U.S.
“I may do it, I may not do it,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
“I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
Democratic senators urged caution.
Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the committee's ranking Democrat, warned
that “the Trump administration must take urgent steps to prevent a wider
war.” He said Israel launching the attack on Iran against “against the
urging of the president threatens the stability of the entire region and
the safety of American stationed there."
The U.S. has shifted significant numbers of refueling tanker and fighter
aircraft to position them to be able to respond to the escalating
conflict, such as by supporting possible evacuations or conducting
airstrikes. Hegseth said this week that was done to protect U.S.
personnel and airbases.
Troops being sent to Los Angeles protests
Hegseth's testimony last week in three congressional hearings also was
taken over by events, with the Trump administration dispatching the
National Guard and 700 active-duty Marines to the protests in Los
Angeles against California Gov. Gavin Newsom's wishes.
Hegseth was repeatedly questioned on whether the California deployment
was just the beginning of wider use of the military at home.
[to top of second column]
|
Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testifies before a
Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in
Washington, Wednesday, June 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Hegseth would not directly say whether he had authorized troops to
conduct arrests of civilians or use lethal force against them,
instead, as he has in past hearings, redirecting the issue to
immigration agents facing violent protesters. He would also not
answer questions on whether the Pentagon has the authority to expand
the deployment of troops to other cities.
“I take it from your answer that you do have contingency plans for
the use of military in other cities,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal,
D-Conn., pressed.
“We have never and will not illegally deploy troops,” Hegseth said.
“All have been under existing and well-established authorities.”
Last week, a district court ordered Trump to return control of the
guard to Newsom. But the administration quickly appealed, and a
three-judge appellate panel temporarily paused that order and
appeared inclined to return that power to the president.
Questions on DEI, the renaming of bases
Hegseth has dedicated much of the early part of his tenure to social
issues, such as eradicating diversity and equity influence from the
military — to the extent that he has pursued restoring base names
back to their Confederate origins and renaming warships that were
honoring civil rights icons.
For example, Hegseth directed the renaming of a Navy ship that had
honored Harvey Milk, a slain gay rights activist who served as a
sailor during the Korean War. He also has touted other moves to
eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs and said a ban on
transgender troops was a way to regain the “warrior ethos.”
Hegseth was challenged on why the Pentagon has worked to find names
similar to those of the Confederate officers the bases originally
honored. For example, Virginia's Fort Lee, named for Confederate
Gen. Robert E. Lee, was renamed during the Biden administration to
Fort Gregg-Adams, honoring two Black officers — Lt. Gen. Arthur
Gregg, the first African American to serve as a three-star, and Lt.
Col. Charity Adams, the highest-ranking Black woman of World War II.
The Pentagon announced Monday that the name Lee has been restored,
now honoring Army Pvt. Fitz Lee, a Buffalo Soldier and Medal of
Honor recipient. The Buffalo Soldiers were an all-Black Army unit.
The surviving members of the Gregg and Adams families were not
contacted by Hegseth's office prior to the announcement that their
names would be removed, said Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat.
“This was never about the names of the bases they were renamed to,”
Hegseth said. “It was about restoring all bases to their original
names.”
In the previous hearings — where Hegseth appeared to discuss the
Pentagon's spending plan — lawmakers made it clear they were unhappy
that he has not provided full details on the administration’s first
proposed defense budget.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
