Duckworth Slams Trump Administration for Purging Top Military Leadership While Pushing DoD Cuts, Both of Which Will Harm Readiness and National Security
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Yesterday, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee—slammed President Trump and his Administration for putting our military readiness and national security at risk by firing our nation’s top military leaders while the Administration continues to push for 8% cuts to the defense budget for the next five years. Additionally, Duckworth expressed her outrage that Donald Trump is siding with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in his unjustified and unlawful war against Ukraine and pressed the Deputy Secretary of Defense nominee Stephen Feinberg to admit that Russia was the one who started the war. Ultimately, Mr. Feinberg refused to answer. Duckworth’s full remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.
“By firing our top military leaders and removing JAG officers who ensure our military doesn’t break the law, Donald Trump is behaving like a wanna-be dictator and jeopardizing our military readiness and national security,” said Duckworth. “While I’m glad Mr. Feinberg could publicly pledge that he would refuse an unlawful order—clearing the absolute lowest bar for Senate consideration—his inability to acknowledge basic, public facts about vitally important defense issues, like that it was Russia, not Ukraine, who started this devastating, three-years long war, made it clear I cannot support his nomination. Given how grossly unqualified Secretary Hegseth is to lead our nation’s Defense Department, our men and women in uniform deserve a Deputy Secretary who will have their backs and be more than just a yes-man for President Trump.”
When Duckworth pressed the nominee to admit that it was Russia who invaded Ukraine, Mr. Feinberg offered a concerning non-answer, responding: “I don't feel that I should publicly comment in the middle of a tense negotiation when I'm not privy to the facts.”
Additionally, Duckworth underscored that due to the utter lack of qualifications of Secretary Hegseth, Mr. Feinberg would manage the minutiae of the Department of Defense and be solely responsible for managing the budget and day-to-day operations, stating: “You are it. You are second in command.” She pressed Mr. Feinberg to state that he would push back against orders that would undermine our military readiness and ensure stability at the Department.
Duckworth is an outspoken vocal critic of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and voted against his confirmation. During Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, Duckworth demonstrated some of the areas where he lacks the experience or knowledge that a serious Defense Secretary nominee should have, grilling him on basic questions that he failed to answer. She asked him if he ever led an audit. He would not confirm. She asked him to describe at least one of the main international security agreements a Secretary of Defense is responsible for leading. He could not name any. She asked him to name at least one nation that is a part of ASEAN, an organization with several member states who have mutual defense treaties, alliances or enhanced defense cooperation agreements with the U.S. None of the three countries he named were correct.
Duckworth then delivered an impassioned speech on the Senate floor slamming Hegseth for his lack of experience and qualifications to lead the Department of Defense. Speaking next to a framed copy of the Soldier’s Creed—a copy that hangs over her desk in the Senate and hung above her bed during her recovery at Walter Reed Medical Center after the helicopter she co-piloted was shot down—Duckworth underscored that it is insulting to ask our servicemembers to train and perform to the absolute highest standards when the Senate confirms a Secretary of Defense who is wholly unprepared and unqualified to lead them in any way.
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