WATCH: Schatz says Hegseth’s immaturity, incompetence are lethal combination on battlefield

U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, a Hawai‘i Democrat, spoke Wednesday (March 11) on the Senate floor about how U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s reckless and unlawful theory of action is costing the United States in President Donald Trump’s war against Iran.

He said throughout his 13 years serving in the U.S. Senate and also before that as Hawai‘i lieutenant governor, he’s met military officers at every level. No matter their age, rank, what they do or where they serve, they are every bit as disciplined, principled, committed and brave as could possibly be imagined.

“They’re patriots in every sense of the word, and you can’t help but be impressed and inspired by them,” Schatz said in his floor remarks.

He added the same cannot be said about the man who commands them: U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Particularly in recent days since the war on Iran began.

“Secretary Hegseth has demonstrated a shocking lack of emotional maturity and a basic understanding of the gravity of the situation,” Schatz said.

Instead of characterizing what Hegseth said, the senator read verbatim some of the secretary’s recent statements:

• “‘Death and destruction from the sky all day long.'”
• “‘This was never meant to be a fair fight, and it is not a fair fight. We are punching them while they’re down, which is exactly how it should be.'”
• “‘They are toast and they know it. Or at least soon enough they will know it.'”
• “‘America is winning — decisively, devastatingly and without mercy.’”

The Hawai‘i Democrat said violence is not to be glorified. Death — whether of a U.S. Army Reserve officer from Des Moines, Iowa, or an Iranian schoolgirl — cannot be shrugged off.

“What happened to walk softly and carry a big stick?” Schatz asked, adding that wanting precision, planning and professionalism does not make you weak. “It means that you grasp the gravity of the war. It means that you are not casual about using kinetic force, not because you’re afraid but because you understand exactly what comes next.”

The ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations said for all the nation’s military might and capability, war is not something in which to revel.

“Immaturity and incompetence are a lethal combination on a battlefield,” Schatz said. “And if Secretary Hegseth’s alarming behavior continues, it will not end well for us.”