Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, spoke Sunday on Face the Nation Transcripts, voicing strong objections to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who has been nominated as Ambassador to the United Nations. She questioned the qualifications of both men for their roles.
Senator Duckworth, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, stated there is "no way" Secretary Hegseth can effectively manage the Department of Defense, citing what she described as incompetence and a hollowing out of leadership. She called him the "most untrained, inadequate" Secretary of Defense in the nation's history.
A key concern raised was Secretary Hegseth's handling of information. Senator Duckworth stated he put classified information on an unclassified Signal chain, compromising national security. She indicated an Inspector General probe into the conduct is ongoing but a timeline is not clear.
Discussing the nomination of Mike Waltz for U.N. ambassador, Senator Duckworth said the hearing would be "brutal." She criticized Waltz, currently National Security Adviser, for his reported participation in the same unclassified Signal chain, arguing it demonstrates an inability to handle sensitive information.
Senator Duckworth suggested Waltz is "failing up," receiving a promotion despite perceived failures in his current role. She argued the United Nations post requires someone fully competent given current global tensions.
Separately, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also commented on Waltz and Hegseth. He called Waltz the "fall guy" and stated Secretary Hegseth is the one who should resign.
Senator Duckworth also addressed defense spending, noting her support for increasing it, particularly for the Navy. She expressed concern that proposed cuts by the administration, potentially leading to civilian layoffs at the Pentagon, would weaken military readiness in favor of what she termed a "vanity project."
She criticized the reported decision by Secretary Hegseth to end the Women, Peace and Security program, noting it was signed into law by President Trump and supported by military combatant commanders. Senator Duckworth said the program is valuable for gathering intelligence, citing lessons from Afghanistan where women Marines interacted with local women.
On Democratic party strategy, Senator Duckworth advocated for listening more to Midwest Democrats. She highlighted issues such as agricultural concerns, the impact of tariffs on farmers and manufacturing, grocery prices, and energy costs as important to everyday voters outside of coastal areas.
Senator Blumenthal offered a stark assessment of the administration's national security leadership.
"This entire national security establishment of the Trump administration is a clown show except they’re playing with real guns and bullets," he said. "We should be very afraid."
