Kelly, who was seated just feet away and directly in front of Hegseth, asked the defense secretary about the U.S. military operations near Venezuela, according to a source familiar with the exchange. Hegseth responded by referencing the video the senator had recorded last month that is under investigation by the Pentagon. AdvertisementKelly then interrupted Hegseth, urging him to stay on topic and noting that in 2016, Hegseth had made similar comments warning about Trump issuing unlawful orders. “He’s really big into the performance,” the senator added, noting that Hegseth never responded to his 2016 callback. And the risk for war will only get worse the more belligerent Donald Trump acts off the coast of South America.”

Source: Huffington Post December 17, 2025 13:16 UTC