Senate Democrats Says Hegseth Failed U.S. Troops During Iran War
Sens. Mark Kelly, Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, and Kirsten Gillibrand charged that Hegseth's Pentagon failed "to take even basic precautions to protect the lives of U.S. service members after President Trump initiated his reckless war against Iran."
The lawmakers pointed specifically to a March 1 Iranian drone strike in Kuwait — launched in the immediate wake of US and Israeli attacks on Iran — that killed six American service members and wounded at least 20 others. That assault, they argued, "is part of a larger pattern in which this administration has failed to protect Americans in the region from Iranian retaliation."
"The safety and well-being of our service members should be a top priority for DoD leadership. That requires careful consideration of major operations like Epic Fury and plans to prevent possible harm from foreseeable attacks, like retaliation with drone strikes," the senators wrote, referencing the Defense Department.
The toll from the ongoing conflict — now under a ceasefire — stands at no fewer than 13 American troops killed and more than 300 wounded.
Nine Questions, One Deadline
The four lawmakers, all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, leveled nine questions — several multi-part — at Hegseth, demanding written responses no later than May 11.
Central to their inquiry: which US officials were tasked with evaluating the threat level at the Kuwait post struck by Iran, and what protective measures were identified and either implemented or neglected.
The senators are also pressing Hegseth to reveal which criteria the Pentagon applied when determining who within the US government needed advance notice before President Trump launched the war — information critical to facilitating the safe evacuation of non-military American personnel from the Middle East ahead of anticipated Iranian reprisals.
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