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"Would you shoot peaceful protestors?" Pete Hegseth refuses to say "no" when asked (video) [1]

['Carla Sinclair']

Date: 2025-06-18

Sen. Mazie Hirono asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth if he would "shoot peaceful protestors in the legs" if Donald Trump asked him to. The question on the House floor this morning was straightforward enough, but the former Fox host could not bring himself to say "no."

Instead, Hegseth cleared his throat and said, "Senator, as I've said before, of course I reject the premise of your question and the characterization that I would be given unlawful orders."

Whether Hegseth is really that ignorant or just a steadfast Trump toady is up for debate, but either way, the Hawaii senator quickly set him straight. "Considering that the president in his first term actually ordered such a thing, it is not a premise that you can reject." (See video below, posted by Aaron Rupar.)

Of course, the Senator's question is based on the "premise" that, in 2020, during the BLM protests, Trump looked at his former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, and asked, "Can't you just shoot them, just shoot them in the legs or something?" as recalled by Trump's former Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper, via NPR. At the time, Milley reacted like any true patriot and refused the unlawful request. Apparently, things might go differently if Trump were to ask the same question in 2025.

HIRONO: If ordered by the president to shoot peaceful protesters in the legs, would you carry it out?



HEGSETH: Of course I reject the premise of your question



HIRONO: Considering that the president in his first term actually ordered such a thing, it's not a premise you can… pic.twitter.com/Dehn2nI8nY — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 18, 2025

Previously: Hegseth says troops will stay in Los Angeles for months: "We're not going anywhere" (video)



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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2025/06/18/would-you-shoot-peaceful-protestors-pete-hegseth-refuses-to-say-no-when-asked-video.html

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