Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Tuesday strongly defended the Trump administration’s military response to protests in Los Angeles, his first appearance in a series of congressional hearings over the next week that are likely to be a major test of his leadership following what has widely been viewed as a rocky first few months on the job.

Pete Hegseth was at a loss when a senator asked him to cite the part of the Constitution that authorized the deployment of 700 active-duty marines against anti-ICE protestors in Los Angeles. “I’d have to pull up the specific provision,

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to appear on Capitol Hill, where he will face difficult questions about the first few months of his tenure.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is testifying before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the 2026 Defense Department budget.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth heads to Capitol Hill for a series of Congressional hearings over the next week that are likely to be a major test of his leadership following what is widely viewed as a rocky first few months on the job.