Podcast Summary: The Daily — "Hegseth in the Hot Seat"
Date: May 1, 2026
Host: Michael Barbaro
Guest/Expert: Eric Schmitt (NYT National Security Correspondent)
Main Theme: The first congressional testimony in a year by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, focusing on the ongoing war in Iran, questions of public accountability, and his controversial management of the Pentagon.
Episode Overview
This episode delves into the high-stakes congressional hearing in which Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, faces sharp scrutiny for his handling of the war in Iran and his approach to leadership at the Pentagon. Host Michael Barbaro and NYT correspondent Eric Schmitt break down the intense partisan dynamics of the hearing, the legal and ethical controversies swirling around Hegseth, and what his testimony reveals about the current administration’s stance on transparency and dissent.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The High Stakes of Hegseth’s Testimony
- [01:22-03:48]
- The annual defense budget hearing ($1.5 trillion request—the largest ever) is a perfunctory event, but this year it doubles as a rare moment of public accountability for Hegseth, whose decisions and communication style have generated controversy.
- Schmitt contextualizes:
“There’s been so many things that have happened in that year…he’s fired dozens of generals and admirals…kicked out reporters…very little public accountability for a wide range of controversial operational and budget issues.” —[02:15]
- The war in Iran looms especially large, with the U.S. two months in and with little public explanation for strategy, objectives, or progress.
2. Congressional Republicans Rally Behind Hegseth
- [06:01-07:35]
- Instead of tough questioning typical for Trump-era hearings, GOP senators offer unwavering support, lauding his management and the conduct of the Iran war.
- Quote (Unnamed Republican Senator):
“This $1.5 trillion request is chock full of important programs…absolutely necessary.” —[06:10]
- Barbaro observes:
“On arguably the most urgent topic of the second term, the war, its fallout, they really fall in line.” —[06:47]
3. Democrats’ Relentless Critique
- [07:42-13:07]
- Senate Democrats attack Hegseth for a war “stuck” in stalemate, high economic costs at home, lack of public support, and unmet U.S. objectives (e.g., Iran’s regime remains, Strait of Hormuz is closed).
- Notable Exchanges:
- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand:
“I don’t know if you fully appreciate how much the American people do not support this war…They are exhausted. They are truly exhausted.” —[08:28, 08:39]
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren:
“This illegal war is driving up costs, undermining readiness, and alienating our allies.” —[08:16]
- Hegseth responds:
“There’s no price you can put on the security that president Trump’s campaign against Iran is going to provide.” —[09:30]
- Gillibrand presses:
“Why do you continue to prosecute a war that the American people aren’t behind?” —[09:14]
- Hegseth:
“What is the cost of a nuclear-armed Iran?” —[09:39]
4. The 60-Day War Powers Deadline
- [10:40-13:07]
- Democrats, notably Sen. Tim Kaine, press Hegseth on whether the administration will seek congressional authorization as the 60-day war powers limit is reached.
- Kaine’s challenge:
“Is the President intending to seek congressional authorization for the war in Iran or send us the legally required certification that he needs an additional 30 days to remove US forces from the war?” —[11:12]
- Hegseth’s reply:
“I would defer to the White House…we are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses.” —[11:30]
- Schmitt notes:
“Legal scholars say, no, that’s not correct…but that seems to be the legal basis they’re now resting on.” —[12:20]
5. Ethics, Profiteering, and Insider Trading
- [15:33-18:54]
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren interrogates Hegseth on reports of Pentagon insiders profiting from war information, referencing a soldier arrested for making predictions-market bets on special operations.
- She challenges Hegseth about his own financial dealings, citing a Financial Times report about prewar investments.
- Warren:
“The Financial Times reported that your broker tried to buy hundreds of shares in a BlackRock fund invested in defense companies just before the war began.” —[17:44]
- Hegseth’s retort:
“That entire story is false, has been from the beginning, and was made up out of whole cloth.” —[18:07]
“Bigger, fatter, negative.” [when asked about personal investment authorization] —[18:27]
- Schmitt clarifies:
“No, there’s no evidence at all that we’ve seen or heard of.” —[19:04]
6. Civil-Military Relations: Election Interference Concerns
- [19:14-21:37]
- Sen. Alyssa Slotkin (D-MI) probes Hegseth on whether he would obey or resist any illegal order from the President to deploy the military in this year’s elections (“to seize ballots or voting machines”).
- Slotkin:
“If the President…asks you to seize ballots or voting machines in states during the 2026 election, will you stand up for the Constitution and say no, or will you salute and do his bidding?” —[20:25]
- Hegseth’s response:
- Initially calls it a “gotcha hypothetical.”
- Only after prompting:
“I’ve never been ordered to do anything illegal, and I won’t. That goes without saying.” —[21:29]
- Hegseth notably never outright says he would refuse an illegal election order.
7. Dissent, Accountability, and Media Relations
- [21:49-24:53]
- The hearing spotlights Hegseth’s disdain for dissent—referring to critics as “reckless naysayers,” “defeatists,” and “Pharisees.”
- Sen. Jackie Rosen (D-NV):
“You compare journalists, you compare us…to Pharisees… a problematic and historically weaponized term that casts Jewish communities as hypocritical.” —[22:41-22:54]
- Hegseth stands by his language:
“I feel like it’s a pretty accurate term for folks who don’t see the plank in their own eye and always want to see what’s wrong…So I stand by it.” —[23:15]
- Rosen rebukes:
“You stand by calling people Pharisees? Sir, I cannot stand for that…not be an anti-Semite.” —[23:27]
- Schmitt reflects:
“There seems to be no room for an intellectual argument…If you’re coming down on the wrong side…you’re now on his enemies list, it seems.” —[24:25]
8. The Irony of Hegseth’s Tenure
- [25:27-27:29]
- Barbaro notes:
“Now he has that job…he is not willing to endure the kind of criticism that he so forcefully delivered…may be responsible for why he now has the job.” —[26:24]
- Schmitt concludes:
“At least in the secretary’s telling, he can never be wrong, he can never be challenged the way he challenged civilian and uniformed leaders in years past. And anyone who challenges that needs to be taken down.” —[27:29]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Hegseth on Critics:
"The biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless naysayers and defeatist words of Congressional Democrats and some Republicans." —[05:00]
-
Gillibrand on War Weariness:
"They're exhausted. They are truly exhausted." —[08:39]
-
Hegseth on the War's Justification:
"What is the cost of a nuclear-armed Iran?" —[09:39]
-
Warren on Insider Profiteering:
"It looks like insiders have been making out like bandits using secret information about the war." —[16:18]
-
Slotkin on Military & Elections:
"Will you stand up for the Constitution and say no, or will you salute and do his bidding?" —[20:25]
-
Hegseth on Respecting Lawful Orders:
"I’ve never been ordered to do anything illegal, and I won’t. That goes without saying." —[21:29]
-
Rosen on Anti-Semitic Rhetoric:
"You compare us...to Pharisees...I cannot stand for that. That is wrong. It is not respectful to people." —[23:27]
Important Timestamps
- [01:22] – Framing of the hearing’s significance
- [05:00] – Hegseth labeling critics “defeatists” and “adversaries”
- [07:42] – Democrats confront Hegseth on Iran war stalemate
- [11:12] – War Powers Act and 60-day authorization debate
- [15:34-18:54] – Ethics/insider trading grilling by Warren
- [19:14-21:37] – Election interference scenario, Slotkin’s questioning
- [22:26-23:51] – Dissent, Pharisees comments, and Rosen’s rebuttal
- [25:27–27:29] – Reflecting on Hegseth’s unwillingness to be criticized
Conclusion
The episode frames Pete Hegseth’s testimony as a defining moment that exposes deep partisan divides over the administration’s war in Iran and highlights unprecedented issues of transparency, legality, and leadership style. Hegseth’s confrontational manner, particularly toward dissent, lack of substantive Republican oversight, and deflection of ethical questions, signal a new era for Pentagon leadership—one with clear implications for civil-military norms and public accountability.
For listeners and readers:
This summary captures the substance and tone of this high-stakes congressional hearing as recounted on The Daily. The episode is a revealing look at the current administration’s approach to war, oversight, and internal dissent at the highest levels of American defense.
