Ahmad Austin Jr.Apr 29th, 2026, 4:57 pm

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth walked into a trap Wednesday when a House Democrat got him to criticize his own words from a decade prior.

Hesgeth spent much of the day testifying before the House Armed Forces Committee on his department’s 2027 budget request. At one point in the marathon hearing, Hegseth — as well as Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine — was asked about soldiers having to follow “unlawful orders.” Months earlier, the term became a hot topic in Washington when Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) posted a video on social media of him and other Democrats, all veterans, urging soldiers not to follow such orders if given by their superiors.

Hegseth accused Kelly of “seditious” conduct and began the process of stripping Kelly of his military rank. Such actions could result in Kelly receiving a reduced pension.

Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), who was in the Kelly clip, ended her line of questioning by asking Caine if he agreed with the quote, “The military won’t follow unlawful orders.” When Caine agreed with the quote, she asked the same question to Hegseth.

“I do,” Hegseth said, “but understand what you’re insinuating at a partisan point.”

That’s when Goodlander revealed the “partisan point” was actually something the Defense secretary said.

“I’m not,” Goodlander said. “I’m actually quoting you directly, Mr. Hegseth, from April 12, 2016; and I appreciate that, on the record, you’ve clarified this important principle of American law.”

Watch above via C-SPAN

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