Republican senators lashed into Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday over the Trump administration’s effort to end the Ukraine war by drawing in Russia, thrusting a glaring ideological divide within the party into public view.
Sen. Mitch McConnell — one of three Republicans to oppose Hegseth’s confirmation — led the criticism at a Senate budget hearing. “America’s reputation is on the line,” the Kentucky Republican said. “Will we defend democratic allies against authoritarian aggressors?”
The former Senate majority leader — who now chairs the panel that controls defense funding — leveled some of his strongest warnings yet at the Pentagon chief during the hearing, which took a more adversarial tone than Tuesday’s House counterpart. Hegseth, who came out largely unscathed the day before, endured interrogations from both parties on President Donald Trump’s strategy to end the conflict.