Key facts
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer demanded the removal of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- A Pentagon watchdog report found Hegseth shared sensitive operational information on a group chat.
- Schumer stated Hegseth's actions put American troops' lives at risk.
- Schumer accused Hegseth of a pattern of prioritizing himself and hiding mistakes.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for the immediate dismissal of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, citing a Pentagon watchdog report that found Hegseth endangered American troops by sharing sensitive operational information on a group chat. Schumer stated on X that Hegseth is "completely incompetent" and that "our brave sailors are paying the price in a horrific and unfathomable way." He added, "Pete Hegseth must be fired immediately."
According to remarks made on the Senate floor, Schumer highlighted the report's conclusion that Hegseth's "lack of judgement put the lives of our troops in danger." Schumer criticized Hegseth for remaining defiant, mocking the incident, and attempting to label the findings as a "witch hunt." The Senator accused Hegseth of a pattern of "putting himself first at the expense of our men and women in uniform" and hiding the truth when he makes mistakes.