During a tense congressional hearing on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to confirm that the Pentagon has contingency plans for military action in Greenland and Panama but repeatedly sidestepped direct questions regarding the matter.
According to the Associated Press, Hegseth also refused to address concerns about his use of Signal chats to discuss military operations.
Democratic members of the House Armed Services Committee engaged in heated exchanges with Hegseth, particularly military veterans, who demanded clear yes-or-no answers regarding his conduct as Pentagon chief.
At one point, Rep. Adam Smith, (D-Wash.), asked whether the Pentagon had active plans to forcibly take Greenland or Panama. Hegseth responded, “Our job at the Defense Department is to have plans for any contingency,” a statement he repeated multiple times.
While it is standard for the Pentagon to prepare for hypothetical conflicts, his evasive responses prompted Rep. Mike Turner, (R-Ohio), to interject moments later, pressing him further.
“It is not your testimony today that there are plans at the Pentagon for taking by force or invading Greenland, correct?” Turner asked.
As Hegseth attempted to reiterate his stance on contingency planning, Turner cut in, declaring, “I sure as hell hope that is not your testimony.”
Hegseth then clarified, “We look forward to working with Greenland to ensure that it is secured from any potential threats.”
Lawmakers continued pushing Hegseth to provide answers he had long avoided, including those raised in earlier hearings.
The tension boiled over as Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) lashed out, saying, “You’re an embarrassment to this country. You’re unfit to lead. You should just get the hell out.”
President Donald Trump has repeatedly floated the idea that Greenland become part of the U.S., which were swiftly met with rejections, including from Greenland’s representative Jacob Isbosethsen who said on Thursday that “Greenland is not for sale.”
In an attempt to maintain secrecy regarding the Pentagon’s standard practice of preparing for all possible scenarios, Hegseth sidestepped Smith’s direct question, resulting in confusion.
“Speaking on behalf of the American people, I don’t think the American people voted for President Trump because they were hoping we would invade Greenland,” Smith said.
