WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, following the news that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz will resign from his position, Defend American Action Senior Strategist Zac Petkanas released the following statement:
“Firing Mike Waltz is insufficient to address Trump’s national security disaster. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth committed more serious offenses—twice putting our troops in danger by sharing classified attack plans right before they went into harm’s way in unsecured group chats – including with his family members and a journalist.
“The administration’s priorities couldn’t be more backward. They trip over themselves to deliver tax breaks to the rich and powerful but when it comes to protecting our troops and veterans, they defend those like Hegseth who endanger service members’ lives and increase wait times for veterans medical care by allowing Elon Musk to take a chain saw to the VA. Their actions reveal a fundamental truth: Trump consistently abuses his power to benefit himself and his allies at the expense of our military, national security and their families.”
BACKGROUND
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Shared Highly Sensitive Military Plans On Unsecured Groupchats – At Least Twice. Over the course of 100 days, Hegseth has shared detailed war plans with private citizens without security clearance on numerous group chats on the unsecured messaging app Signal. In March, a journalist revealed that he had been added to a group chat discussing details of a March military airstrike against Houthi militants in Yemen – including precise information about weapons packages, targets, and timing. Just one month later, new reporting exposed Hegseth for creating yet another group chat including his wife (a former Fox News Producer) and brother (a DHS liaison and senior advisor), in which he shared similar details about the Houthi airstrike.
Hegseth Dismantled A Military Program Supporting Women On Security Teams. On April 29, Hegseth bragged on social media that he dismantled a program, established by President Trump during his first term and acclaimed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio as recently as last month, designed to support women on security teams. Hegseth called the program, “yet another woke divisive/social justice/Biden initiative that overburdens our commanders and troops.”
The Trump Administration, Including Hegseth, Stood By As Elon Musk and His DOGE Cronies Gutted the VA and Veterans’ Health Care. Hegseth stood by as Elon Musk’s DOGE gutted the VA, firing thousands of VA employees – including those who staffed the Veterans Crisis Line – which will only lead to more understaffed clinics, long wait times and worse care for millions of veterans. The Trump administration is now planning a reorganization that includes cutting more than 80,000 jobs from the agency.
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