In yet another display of the unhinged, anti-law-and-order rhetoric coming from the radical left, Democrat Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) lashed out at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a Capitol Hill hearing Tuesday—accusing him of everything from authoritarianism to lacking “guts and balls.” Her tantrum backfired spectacularly when Hegseth calmly responded with a dose of common sense and dignity.
The hearing focused on the Trump administration’s firm response to the recent anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, where violent agitators—many dressed in black bloc and attacking federal property—were dispersed by National Guard and Marine units under Secretary Hegseth’s direction. Rather than condemn the violence or express concern for law enforcement, Slotkin chose instead to defend the so-called “protesters” and attack Hegseth for doing his job: restoring law and order.
Slotkin’s tirade reached its peak when she wildly accused Hegseth of authorizing lethal force against “unarmed protesters,” a claim entirely unsupported by evidence.
“Have you given the order that they can use lethal force?” Slotkin barked. “I want the answer to be no. Please tell me it’s no.”
Unfazed, Secretary Hegseth responded with a calm and cutting retort:
“Senator, I’d be careful what you read in books and believing it—except for the Bible.”
That one-liner hit harder than any shouting match could. Clearly rattled, Slotkin sneered, “Oh, my God… I guess that’s not enough for you,” before veering off-topic into a rambling reference about Iran and so-called “cat fights.”
Slotkin, grasping for credibility, cited former Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s memoir, where he allegedly claimed President Trump once mused about using force during the 2020 George Floyd riots. Esper, it should be noted, was fired shortly thereafter by President Trump, who announced his termination on X and replaced him with someone who would actually support the Constitution—not the media mob.
Let’s be clear: there is zero evidence that Pete Hegseth, or anyone in the Trump administration, has ordered unlawful use of force against peaceful Americans. But what was happening in Los Angeles wasn’t peaceful—it was chaos. Government buildings were under siege. Federal officers were attacked. The streets were lawless. And just like in Portland, Chicago, and New York, Democrat politicians looked the other way—or worse, defended the lawbreakers.
Thankfully, this administration isn’t interested in playing politics with public safety. Hegseth, a veteran and patriot, took swift, lawful action to protect American cities from descending into anarchy. And for that, the left can’t stand him.
If Democrats like Slotkin spent half as much time defending our borders, protecting American citizens, and supporting law enforcement as they do grandstanding for MSNBC soundbites, maybe the country wouldn’t be in such disarray.
In a time when real leadership is in short supply, Pete Hegseth showed exactly why he was the right choice to lead the Department of Defense: firm, measured, and completely unafraid of political theater.
