Hegseth is a staunch ally of Trump’s America First agenda. That was on full display during an exchange with a radical Democrat.
And Pete Hegseth put this Leftist to shame with this epic takedown.
In a heated exchange that has ignited political firestorms, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Representative Pete Aguilar (D-CA) have sharply criticized the deployment of National Guard troops to quell violent riots in Los Angeles. Their focus? Alleged shortcomings in the support provided to the troops, a charge that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has vehemently refuted.
On Monday, Newsom took to social media to air his grievances, posting images of National Guard members in dire conditions and addressing President Donald Trump directly: “You sent your troops here without fuel, food, water or a place to sleep. Here they are — being forced to sleep on the floor, piled on top of one another.”
Less than a day later, Aguilar echoed Newsom’s sentiments during a pointed questioning session with Hegseth. His words seemed to mirror the governor’s post: “… troops sleeping on the floor, and have not been provided fuel, food, or water by DoD. How long will this deployment last and why were we unprepared to provide them basic necessities such as food and water?”
Hegseth, however, was quick to push back. Drawing on his own experience as a soldier, he defended the troops’ preparedness: “The commanders and troops in the field are very well prepared,” he stated. “They responded incredibly rapidly to a deteriorating situation with equipment and capabilities. We have made sure from the top down. As the Secretary of Defense who has been in a unit holding riot shields outside the White House during the chaos of the summer of 2020, I know what it’s like to be immediately deployed into a situation like that.”
Acknowledging the challenging conditions, Hegseth added, “There are moments where you make do as best you can, temporarily.” He emphasized ongoing efforts to support the troops: “But we are ensuring they’re housed, fed, water, capabilities in real time, from my office, because I care that much about the California Guard and the Marines and the men and women who are supporting our ICE agents on the ground.”
Aguilar, undeterred, referenced the photos Newsom shared: “Those are photos of yesterday, so you should check with your office,” he jabbed. Hegseth fired back, calling the criticism misleading: “It’s true every day,” he said. “And that’s a disingenuous attack that misrepresents how much we care about our troops and what they’re doing to defend ICE agents.”
The exchange grew tense as Aguilar tried to interrupt, but Hegseth stood firm: “I’m not going to take the fact that ‘we don’t care about the troops,’ nobody cares more about the troops at the top than this Secretary and the Chairman and our department.”
When Aguilar shifted to ask about the duration of the deployment, Hegseth clarified that the troops were ordered to remain for 60 days, sending a clear message: “We want to ensure that those rioters, looters, and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we’re not going anywhere.”
WATCH:
. @SecDef just dismantled the accusation that our troops in California are not being fed or housed.
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) June 10, 2025
We have a secretary that is putting our warfighters needs FIRST! pic.twitter.com/9ziFCvt10f
The Root of the Crisis: Newsom’s Failure to Act
The deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles might have been entirely avoidable had Governor Gavin Newsom taken decisive action to curb the riots from the outset. The violent unrest, marked by looting, property destruction, and assaults on law enforcement, spiraled out of control under Newsom’s watch. His administration’s initial response was widely criticized as inadequate, allowing chaos to fester in the streets of one of America’s largest cities.
Rather than mobilizing state resources to restore order, Newsom’s hesitancy left local police forces overwhelmed, facing relentless aggression from rioters. This failure to act promptly created a power vacuum that necessitated federal intervention.
The National Guard’s presence became a critical measure to protect lives and property—responsibilities that should have been addressed at the state level.
Critics argue that Newsom’s focus on political posturing, as seen in his social media attacks on the federal government, diverted attention from his own shortcomings. By allowing the situation to escalate, he not only endangered Californians but also placed additional strain on the National Guard, who were thrust into a volatile environment.
Had Newsom prioritized swift, effective measures to control the riots, the federal government would not have had to step in, and the troops could have been spared the challenging conditions now at the center of this debate.
The controversy surrounding the National Guard’s deployment highlights a deeper issue: the consequences of inaction at the state level. As Los Angeles works to recover, questions remain about how California’s Leftist leadership can prevent such crises in the future, ensuring that the safety of its citizens is not left to federal forces to secure.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
