Senate Republicans Criticize Defense Secretary Hegseth's Exclusion of Democrats from Briefings

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has faced criticism from Senate Republicans for excluding congressional Democrats from classified briefings. According to Politico, Hegseth has been making significant budget requests as the conflict in Iran continues but has reportedly kept Democrats uninformed, raising concerns among Republicans about the necessity of Democratic support for funding legislation. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina stated, "He calls himself the secretary of war, but ironically, he doesn’t want to go to war and win the argument with nearly half the members of the Senate." An unnamed Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee expressed that Hegseth's approach only engages Republicans, stating that briefings should be provided to all senators. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota emphasized the need for Democrats to be informed while ensuring that sensitive information remains confidential. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska also noted the importance of bipartisan engagement. Democratic Senator Chris Coons mentioned that several Republican colleagues have urged Hegseth to involve Democrats in discussions regarding funding. Hegseth's department has requested $1.5 trillion from Congress. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell affirmed the department's commitment to collaborating with Congress to provide necessary resources for military operations.