During a fiery hearing before Congress, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shocked lawmakers when he would not deny that the Pentagon has military plans prepared to take over Greenland and Panama. Though he didn’t confirm such plans were active, his refusal to give a clear “no” alarmed many in the room.
Democratic Representative Adam Smith asked directly whether the military had considered using force to control those regions. Instead of giving a straight answer, Hegseth repeated a general statement: “Our job at the Defense Department is to have plans for any contingency.” That means the military often thinks ahead, even about scenarios that may never happen.
This vague answer caused concern across party lines. A few minutes later, Republican Representative Mike Turner pressed him again, hoping for a clearer denial. Turner asked if the Defense Secretary was seriously suggesting that the U.S. had any active plan to invade Greenland.
Hegseth once again gave a broad answer about preparedness. Turner responded sharply, saying, “I sure as hell hope that is not your testimony.”
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Trying to calm the situation, Hegseth later stated, “We look forward to working with Greenland to ensure that it is secured from any potential threats,” but this only led to more confusion about America’s intentions.
Private App Use Raises National Security Questions
Alongside those explosive statements, Hegseth also faced tough questions about his use of Signal — a private messaging app — to communicate about military actions. Lawmakers accused him of using the app to share sensitive details of U.S. airstrikes in Yemen with both officials and members of his family.
Democratic Representative Seth Moulton, a Marine Corps veteran, asked whether these messages included classified information. Hegseth insisted the messages were not marked as secret but refused to confirm if they were originally classified. Moulton immediately pointed out the contradiction — that Hegseth could not claim the content wasn’t classified while also refusing to say whether it was.
When asked if he would take responsibility if the Pentagon’s inspector general found he had mishandled secret material, Hegseth avoided answering directly. He said only that he serves at the president’s discretion. Even when questioned about the risks this might have posed to U.S. pilots, he refused to admit fault, saying instead, “I don’t apologize for success.”
A formal report reviewing his use of the app is expected soon. Until then, questions remain about whether any laws or security rules were broken.
Concerns Over Political Bias and Troop Inclusion
The hearing didn’t stop there. Lawmakers raised other serious concerns about the direction of the U.S. military under Hegseth’s leadership. One hot-button topic was a recent event where President Trump gave a speech at Fort Bragg. Soldiers in uniform were seen cheering and booing political comments made by the president. A MAGA merchandise booth even appeared nearby. Many lawmakers fear this could be a sign that the military is being pulled into politics, which is against long-standing defense policy.
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General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he had no knowledge of the situation at Fort Bragg, but he repeated that service members must remain neutral and not participate in political displays while in uniform.
The discussion then turned to who should be allowed to serve in the military. Hegseth defended removing diversity programs and suggested physical differences between men and women affect performance in combat roles. When asked by Representative Chrissy Houlahan whether women and transgender people could do essential military jobs like flying drones or launching missiles, he said, “It depends on the context.”
Democratic Representative Sara Jacobs listed the accomplishments of three female service members who are now being dismissed under new transgender restrictions. Hegseth said their work should be honored — until he found out they were transgender. This led to loud protests from Democrats and strong support from Republicans who back the policy.
Meanwhile, Greenland’s representative to the U.S., Jacob Isbosethsen, responded strongly to the hearing’s content. Speaking at an event in Washington, he repeated a familiar stance: “Greenland is not for sale.”