“Get the Hell Out”: Marine Veteran Rep. Carbajal dismantling Defense Secretary Hegseth in Explosive Congressional Showdown Over “Political Theater” and Classified Leaks
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The veneer of congressional politeness didn’t just crack on Capitol Hill this week; it was shattered into a thousand irreparable pieces. In a hearing that has since gone viral, stunning political commentators and military experts alike, Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA)—a veteran of the United States Marine Corps—launched a blistering, no-holds-barred verbal assault on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The exchange, described by observers as “almost unwatchable” due to its raw intensity, stripped away the usual bureaucratic evasiveness of Washington, replacing it with the cold, hard fury of a soldier who believes his leadership has failed him.
For nearly five excruciating minutes, Rep. Carbajal dominated the microphone, refusing to let Secretary Hegseth pivot to prepared talking points. The confrontation centered on allegations of the politicization of the military, the controversial deployment of troops to Los Angeles, and serious accusations regarding the mishandling of classified information. By the time the Chairman attempted to restore “decorum,” the damage had been done. Hegseth had been branded an “embarrassment” to the nation he swore to serve, directly to his face.
“This Isn’t Fox Anymore”: The Opening Salvo
The tension in the room was palpable from the moment Rep. Carbajal began his questioning. His opening remarks were not questions but an indictment. He zeroed in on the deployment of National Guard and Marine units to Los Angeles—a move reportedly made against the express wishes of the state’s Governor and the city’s Mayor.
“I served in the Marine Corps,” Carbajal stated, his voice steady but laced with underlying anger. “We are trained to be warfighters, not for crowd control.”
He framed the deployment as a dangerous escalation, a calculated move by the administration to use the military as a prop in a domestic dispute. “Let’s call it for what it is,” Carbajal declared. “It’s political theater.”
When Hegseth attempted to respond by citing the protection of ICE officers and police as the justification, claiming they were being “attacked,” Carbajal cut him off with a ruthlessness rarely seen in committee hearings. The Representative wasn’t interested in the narrative; he wanted operational facts.
“Just yes or no,” Carbajal demanded, interrupting the Secretary. “This isn’t Fox anymore. Just yes or no.”
The reference to Hegseth’s former career as a Fox News host was a calculated strike, stripping the Secretary of his current authority and reducing him to a partisan pundit in the eyes of the committee. It set the tone for the rest of the interrogation: Carbajal was the commanding officer, and Hegseth was the subordinate who had failed his inspection.
The “Signal Group Chat” Allegations
While the deployment of troops was the tactical disagreement, the ethical bombshell dropped when Carbajal pivoted to the issue of information security. In a stunning accusation, the Congressman publicly challenged the Secretary on his use of unsecure communication channels.
“Will you take responsibility for having made a mistake,” Carbajal pressed, “not to mention many people would say break the law, in participating in the Signal group chat that included a journalist, your wife, [and] your brother where classified information was shared?”
The gravity of this charge cannot be overstated. For a sitting Secretary of Defense to be accused of sharing classified intelligence on a consumer messaging app with family members and the press is a potential felony and a massive breach of national security protocols.
Hegseth attempted to deflect, claiming, “Every way I communicate is authorized,” but the response rang hollow against the specificity of Carbajal’s charge. The Congressman didn’t wait for a further explanation. He moved directly to the verdict.
“I called for your resignation,” Carbajal said, staring directly at the Secretary. “I didn’t think you were qualified before your confirmation, and you have done nothing to inspire confidence in your ability to lead competently.”
He continued, twisting the knife: “You broke the law in sharing classified information and in doing so endangered the lives of our service members… This alone makes you unfit to be the Secretary of Defense.”
The Struggle for a “Yes or No”
Perhaps the most damaging aspect of the hearing for Secretary Hegseth was not the accusations themselves, but his inability to refute them simply. Carbajal weaponized the “yes or no” format, exposing Hegseth’s reliance on spun narratives rather than direct answers.
When the topic turned to foreign policy, the exchange became a masterclass in exposing evasion. Carbajal asked a fundamental question regarding the nation’s stance on the war in Ukraine: “Do you think the United States should continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia?”
Instead of a clear affirmation of US policy, Hegseth began a winding answer about President Trump being “committed to peace.”
Carbajal exploded. “I just want yes or no answers today!” he shouted. “United States has spent billions of dollars… Can I get a yes or no out of you?”
The spectacle of a Defense Secretary unable to simply say “Yes, we support Ukraine” painted a picture of an administration caught in a geopolitical identity crisis. Carbajal likened the interaction to dealing with a child, snapping, “Kindergarteners can give me a yes or no.”
The pattern repeated when the subject turned to NATO. When asked if he would recommend fulfilling Article 5 obligations (mutual defense) if Russia invaded a NATO ally, Hegseth dodged again, claiming, “Russia has not invaded NATO allies.”
“No, no, no,” Carbajal interrupted, reclaiming his time. “Is the answer yes or no?”
Eventually, Hegseth conceded a “Yes,” but the hesitation spoke volumes. To critics and allies watching around the world, the reluctance of the US Defense Secretary to immediately affirm NATO commitments was a diplomatic disaster.
“You Are an Embarrassment”
The climax of the hearing arrived when Carbajal questioned the culture of the Pentagon under Hegseth’s leadership. He asked if “political allegiance to Trump” was now a requirement for serving the nation.
Hegseth tried to laugh it off as a “silly question,” calling himself and millions of Americans “proud.” But he never offered a direct “No.”
For Rep. Carbajal, this was the final straw. He stopped the questioning, not because he had run out of time, but because he had run out of patience.
“I’m not going to waste my time anymore,” Carbajal said, his voice dropping to a tone of utter disgust. “You’re not worthy of my attention or my questions. You’re an embarrassment to this country. You’re unfit to lead.”
He concluded with a directive that sounded less like a closing statement and more like an ejection order: “You should just get the hell out and let somebody competently lead this department.”
The Aftermath: A Breach of Decorum or a Necessary Reckoning?
As Carbajal yielded his time, the Chairman of the committee stepped in, visibly shaken by the ferocity of the exchange. “Do we not have any decorum in here?” he asked, urging members to maintain behavior “suitable for this chamber.”
But the question resonates: What is the proper decorum when facing allegations of leaked classified info and the politicization of the military?
For supporters of Rep. Carbajal, his aggression was not a breach of protocol but a necessary defense of the Constitution. They see a Marine veteran standing up for the integrity of the armed forces against a civilian leader they view as a dangerous amateur.
For Hegseth and his defenders, the hearing was a partisan ambush, a “political theater” performance of its own designed to generate clips for the evening news and social media.
However, the viral nature of the video suggests that Carbajal struck a nerve. In an era of polished soundbites and rehearsed testimonies, the sight of genuine, unfiltered frustration from a lawmaker reflects the mood of a polarized nation. The “yes or no” questions that Hegseth struggled to answer are the same questions many Americans are asking about the direction of their country, their military, and their standing in the world.
Rep. Carbajal didn’t just dismantle a witness; he exposed the fragile state of confidence between the legislative and executive branches of the United States government. And as the clip circulates millions of times over, the haunting assessment—”You’re an embarrassment”—hangs over the Pentagon like a dark cloud.
