Democrat gets roasted for ‘lies’ that Trump’s defense sec nominee Pete Hegseth would lead invasion of Greenland

Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono ignited an internet frenzy Tuesday with her questioning of defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth — during which the Hawaiian hounded the would-be Pentagon chief on misconduct accusations and whether he’d support an invasion of Greenland.

Hirono, 77, a regular figure of mockery among Republicans and conservatives, asked Hegseth at one point: “In June of 2020, then-President Trump directed former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to shoot protesters in the legs in downtown DC, an order Secretary Esper refused to comply with. Would you carry out such an order?”

“Senator,” replied the 44-year-old Hegseth, “I was in the Washington DC National Guard unit that was in Lafayette Square. I saw 50 Secret Service agents get injured by rioters.”

“That sounds to me,” Hirono concluded, “that you will comply with such an order — you will shoot protesters in the leg.”

The senator then asked Hegseth whether he would carry out an order from President-elect Donald Trump to use military force to annex Greenland or the Panama Canal Zone.

“Senator, one of the things that President Trump is so good at is never strategically tipping his hand,” the nominee responded. “And so I would never, in this public forum, give one way or another what orders the president give to me in any context.”

“It sounds to me,” Hirono said, “that you would contact would contemplate carrying out such an order to basically invade Greenland, and take over the Panama Canal.”

“Painfully stupid,” user Johnny MAGA wrote on X in describing the exchange.

“Mazie Hirono claims Trump will use the military to conquer Greenland and the Panama Canal… The Pete Hegseth hearing has officially jumped the shark,” comedian Tim Young said on X.

“Sen. Masie [sic] Hirono is basically claiming Hegseth would not only shoot protesters in the leg but would also invade Greenland and Panama. Wow,” Townhall.com editor Jeff Charles chided.

“Mazie Hirono just seriously asked Pete Hegseth if he would invade Greenland. This is comical,” user Kenny Webster remarked on X.

Later in her time, Hirono engaged in a rapid-fire questioning of Hegseth about anonymously sourced accusations that he binge-drank and engaged in sexual misconduct.

“Hilarious to listen to Mazie Hirono question Pete Hegseth on his drinking when she sounds like your grandma after too many glasses of sherry on Christmas Eve,” conservative media personality Ian Haworth wrote on X.

“What’s next? Nancy Pelosi questioning Kristi Noem on the overuse of Botox?”

“Hirono was playing judge, jury, and executioner based on lies and stupidity,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) chimed in on X regarding the confrontation.

As the hearing wound down, conservatives accused Democrats of fixating on Hegseth’s personal life and “grandstanding” on issues rather than asking substantive questions about key matters facing the military.

“I find this grandstanding from Senate Democrats over the Hegseth confirmation perplexing. We haven’t won a war in three decades and we have a major recruitment challenge,” Vice President-elect JD Vance mused on X.

“Hegseth is assuredly NOT more of the same, and that’s good!”

“The Republicans asked valuable questions and covered important issues. Democrats only did this about 10% of the time. Most of the filibustering from Democrats was just incoherent and unrelated to the job as secretary of defense,” remarked Eric Daugherty of Florida’s Voice.

Despite the drama, Hegseth is believed to have the votes to be confirmed by the full Senate in the coming weeks.

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