Watch the full exchange HERE.
WASHINGTON, DC – During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) slammed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for promoting Kingsley Wilson to serve as the Pentagon’s spokesperson despite her history of spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories. Senator Rosen pressed Secretary Hegseth and called on him to dismiss Ms. Wilson, which Secretary Hegseth refused to do.
Below is an excerpt from the exchange:
Senator Rosen: Secretary Hegseth, would you agree that every senior official in the Department of Defense must reflect the values and conduct that our servicemembers must uphold and our citizens expect?
Secretary Hegseth: Senator, we want to uphold the highest possible standards.
Senator Rosen: I’ll take that for a yes. Would you also agree that antisemitism and antisemitic conspiracy theories have no place in our government or military?
Secretary Hegseth: They should not.
Senator Rosen: Would you agree that anyone who has posted “antisemitic conspiracy theories lifted right out of the neo-Nazi playbook,” shouldn’t be anywhere near a position of power? Yes or no, please.
Secretary Hegseth: Since I don’t believe the characterization of many officials in the news media, I would need to see precisely what’s being characterized.
Senator Rosen: But generally…
Secretary Hegseth: Generally speaking, sure.
Senator Rosen: Would you not say that if you thought something was coming out of a neo-nazi playbook it doesn’t have any place in our Department of Defense?
Now, Secretary Hegseth, the quote I just read you was referencing Ms. Kingsley Wilson, the DOD press secretary, who my Republican colleagues on this committee have also expressed alarm over due to her public comments. In fact, one colleague said, “Obviously, I don’t agree with her comments. I trust the Pentagon will address this.”
However, in the months since, not only have you not addressed these comments, you have promoted Ms. Wilson. This seems to be at odds with President Trump’s commitment to combat antisemitism, which you just said you agreed with.
So, Secretary Hegseth, given the rise in antisemitic violence and hate crimes in our nation, and to show that the Trump Administration does have a zero-tolerance policy for antisemitism, will you dismiss Ms. Kingsley from her role as the U.S. military’s spokesperson today? Yes or no.
Secretary Hegseth: Again, that’s why I referenced the context and characterization. I’ve worked directly with her; she does a fantastic job, and any suggestion that I, or her, or others are party to antisemitism is a mischaracterization attempting to win political points.
Senator Rosen: I’m going to assume that your lack of an answer confirms what we’ve known all along, that the Trump Administration is not serious. You are not a serious person. You are not serious about rooting out antisemitism in the ranks of our DOD. It’s despicable. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
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