Wednesday, May 07, 2025

Comedy in the Kitchen?

I love Matteo Lane.  I love him as a comedian.  I love him as a YouTuber.  I love him as an author -- see my review "Matteo Lane's Your Pasta Sucks: A 'Cookbook'."


In the video below, his friend Nick Smith attempts the book's recipe for Pasta alla Carbonara.





News?  Senator Tammy Baldwin's office issued the following release a few hours ago:


Trump cuts come as roughly 40 percent of LGBTQ+ young people reported seriously considering attempting suicide

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) led their colleagues in slamming the Trump Administration’s plan to take away lifesaving mental health services at the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline from LGBTQ+ youth, who face a higher risk of mental health challenges than their peers. Last week, reports surfaced that President Trump intends to slash 988’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program, which has received over 1.2 million crisis contacts since 2022, with a spike over the last several months.

“Given the Administration has claimed addressing youth mental health as a priority, elimination of specialized services specifically designed for at-risk youth is irresponsible,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We urge you to reconsider and support continued funding for the program.”

The proposed cuts come at a time when LGBTQ+ youth continue to experience higher risk for depression, suicidal ideation, and attempted suicide compared to other youths. A 2024 survey by The Trevor Project reported that nearly 40 percent of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous year, and 12 percent of LGBTQ+ young people attempted suicide – rates much higher than those present among non-LGBTQ+ youth.

After a successful pilot program, both Republicans and Democrats in Congress expanded the LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program to 24/7 operation in fiscal year 2023 before increasing funding from $7.2 million for the pilot to $33.1 million in fiscal year 2024 on a bipartisan basis. Like specialized services available to veterans, the line connects LGBTQ+ youth with specially trained crisis counselors. Since its inception in 2022, the Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth hotline has received over 1.2 million crisis contacts, spiking in use over the last several months.

“While we strongly disagree with the many actions taken by the Trump Administration targeting LGBTQ+ individuals, we believe that suicide prevention should be a nonpartisan issue. Elimination of services that help keep youth alive is reckless, and we urge you to reconsider your proposal to eliminate this lifeline,” concluded the Senators.

In addition to Senators Baldwin, Warren, Markey, and Merkley, the letter is also co-signed by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Jack Reed (D-RI). A full version of this letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Kennedy:

We write with grave concerns regarding reports that the draft FY26 Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) budget proposes defunding the LGBTQ+ youth suicide and crisis hotline. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s (the Lifeline) LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program provides lifesaving services to LGBTQ+ youth, who face a higher risk of significant mental health challenges and barriers to receiving care than their peers. Given the Administration has claimed addressing youth mental health as a priority, elimination of specialized services specifically designed for at-risk youth is irresponsible. We urge you to reconsider and support continued funding for the program.

As you know, the LGBTQ+ youth specialized services pilot program was created in fiscal year 2022 to provide services to LGBTQ+ youth, who are at a disproportionately high risk for depression, suicidal ideation, and attempted suicide compared to other youths. A 2024 survey by The Trevor Project reported that nearly 40 percent of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous year, and 12 percent of LGBTQ+ young people attempted suicide – rates much higher than those present among non-LGBTQ+ youth.

After a successful initial phase, Congress recognized the importance of providing specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth and directed the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to expand beyond the pilot to 24/7 operation in fiscal year 2023. To ensure that youth would be able to access the Lifeline by phone, text, or chat whenever they needed it, Congress also increased the program’s funding from $7.2 million for the pilot to $33.1 million in fiscal year 2024 on a bipartisan basis. These specialized services are similar to other dedicated programs for veterans and service members, disaster survivors, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, and people with neurodivergence. This specialized intervention connects LGBTQ+ youth with specially trained crisis counselors, who can provide understanding, empathetic, and confidential support. Despite the requirement for an operating plan for fiscal year 2025, HHS has provided no information about how or whether it plans to use funds for specialized services or the 988 Suicide Lifeline in general.

Since its inception in 2022, the Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth hotline has received over 1.2 million crisis contacts and utilization of the Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth program has spiked over the last several months. While we strongly disagree with the many actions taken by the Trump Administration targeting LGBTQ+ individuals, we believe that suicide prevention should be a nonpartisan issue. Elimination of services that help keep youth alive is reckless, and we urge you to reconsider your proposal to eliminate this lifeline.

Sincerely,

###


This is the world that 'Uncomitted,' Jill Stein, Rashida Tlaib and MAGA voters condemned us to.  They must be held accountable.  If we survive these four years, we must ensure that the people who helped Chump try to destroy democracy are held accountable. 


This is C.I.'s "The Snapshot" for Wednesday:


Wednesday, May 7, 2025.  Chump Land, a land of losers starting at the top with the Convicted Felon Donald Chump and descending all the way down via his many incompetent Cabinet members and nominees -- like Doug Collins who's working to keep Congress from interacting with veterans, like Pete Hegseth who is one scandal after another, like Chump's latest vile and disgusting nominee Ed Martin.



Another day in Chump Land:


They weren’t patriots or warriors, heroes or hostages. And everyone who entered the Capitol during the Jan. 6 riots deserved jail time, and hundreds didn’t deserve pardons. Oh, and it was not an FBI sting operation.

That’s not a Democrat talking. That’s Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who says he has told President Donald Trump that he won’t support Trump’s nomination of Ed Martin as U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., because of Martin’s brotherhood with the insurrectionists and rioters.


That's from Kevin Manahan report for NJ.COM.  Kat's been covering the disgusting Ed Martin at her site, most recently in "Will the Nazi lover get confirmed or does America still have some self respect?"

To answer her question, the Democrats and at least one  Republican -- Thom Tillis -- have found some self-respect.  Whether or not others will follow remains to be seen?

Ben Mathis-Lilley (SLATE) observes, "The concept of how much 'political capital' a presidential administration has is a vague and subjective one, but occasionally an event will come along and clarify at least how much capital other politicians think it has. In the case of the Donald Trump 2.0 regime, one of those events might be underway: District of Columbia U.S. Attorney nominee 'Eagle' Ed Martin’s chances of being confirmed by the Republican-held Senate are reportedly 'in peril'."  Chump's already spent a huge amount of his dwindling political capital on unqualified nominees -- people like Pete Hegseth who created one scandal after another on a daily basis.  Now he's pimping Ed.  Annie Grayer, Paula Reid and Manu Raju (CNN) report:

 North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, a GOP swing vote, informed the White House on Monday he would not support the president’s nominee, Ed Martin, for the job.

Tillis, who serves on the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee responsible for advancing Martin to a full Senate vote, also met with Martin Monday. Given the narrow margins on the panel, Tillis’ opposition could be enough to derail his nomination.     

[. . .]

             

GOP Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, who serve on the panel, have privately expressed concerns about supporting Martin, as CNN has previously reported. But Cornyn, who faces a tough reelection battle, said Tuesday he would vote for Martin if he came up for a committee vote.

“The president won an election on November the fifth, and I think he’s entitled to some deference on his choices,” Cornyn said.

But upon learning that Tillis was against Martin’s nomination, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said “that would suggest that he’s not probably going to get out of committee.”     

John Cornyn is in  difficult place.  He's running in the primary against Ken Paxton who's trying to play More Thumpier Than Thou.  And Cornyn's already pissed off a number of voters with a previous nomination.  His office received more e-mails objecting to Tulsi Gabbard's nomination than any other topic in the last five years.  People had many objections in their e-mails.  But for many Trumpers, their biggest objection was that they did not feel that a cult member should be confirmed to a Cabinet position.  By not standing with his voters back then, he has made it easier for Paxton to mount a serious challenge.


At SUBSTACK, Harry Dunn writes:

I never thought I would have to write something like this.

As a former Capitol Police officer who stood on the front lines during the January 6th insurrection, I know firsthand the price of defending democracy. I saw the hatred, the violence, and the chaos that day. I looked into the eyes of people who were trying to kill me and my fellow officers. We stood our ground to protect the Capitol—to protect every Senator, every Representative, and the very rule of law.

So when I heard that the Trump team is trying to install Ed Martin as the next U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., I felt a wave of disbelief and outrage. We cannot stay silent. We cannot let this happen.

If you don’t know who Ed Martin is, here’s what you need to understand: He’s not just a political figure. He’s not just an attorney. He is someone who represented and supported the very people who tried to overturn the 2020 election through violence. He defended the insurrectionists who desecrated our Capitol and endangered the lives of police officers, lawmakers, and staffers.

And now, he’s being considered for one of the most powerful prosecutorial roles in the country—in the very city where the attack took place.

Let me be clear: Ed Martin is not fit to serve as U.S. Attorney for D.C.

We need leaders in law enforcement who respect the rule of law, who uphold democratic norms, and who are committed to justice for all Americans. Ed Martin has made it clear through his words and actions that he does not share those values. His nomination is a direct threat to the safety of people like me, to the legacy of those who fought to protect our democracy, and to the future of this nation.

I know what it means to be targeted. I’ve lived it. I’ve also accepted a pardon from President Biden because I refused to apologize for doing my job. But if Ed Martin is confirmed, he will wield the power of the federal government to go after people like me, to rewrite history, and to reward those who tried to destroy this country. 


 Rebecca (" chump's rewarding all the crooks and criminals"), Ruth ("Chump would like to disappear us all") and Betty ("Pam Bondi looks the other way intentionally ") note the way that Chump is embracing these insurrections who broke the law and continue to threaten government officials.  This needs to come to an end immediately.  Republicans on the Committee who can't find their spines on this issue are saying it is okay to threaten judges and their families with violence, that is okay to attempt an overthrow of democracy.  If that's where the Republican Party wants to stand now, they're going to have some big problems in future elections.  


Every day in Chump Land sees more attacks from Chump, more assaults on our democracy.  Even the headlines note the destruction "Mass Firings Throw U.S. National Parks Into Chaos Ahead of Peak Season."  Maxine Joselow (WASHINGTON POST) adds, "The Trump administration has temporarily suspended an air-quality monitoring program at national parks across the country, according to an internal email obtained by The Washington Post and two people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the decision is not public.". Idiotic, yes, but in keeping with Scrooge Chump's attitude re: dolls and pencils (kids only need 3 dolls and 5 pencils).  America has 63 national parks.  Who needs 63 national parks?  Not Chump.  He never visits a national park.  He'd pass out due to all the booze he drinks.  Out in the hot sun, he'd just pass out. So who needs 63 working national parks?  Maxwell Adler and Skylar Woodhouse (BLOOMBERG NEWS) note, "President Donald Trump said Tuesday the federal government would not finance California’s high-speed rail project, escalating tensions over the state’s long-delayed infrastructure plan."   Nothing ever goes right for Chump.  Micah McCartney (NEWSWEEK) notes, "One of the highest-profile events of the ongoing United States-Philippines Balikatan military exercise—the sinking of a decommissioned warship—was canceled Monday after the doomed vessel sank before the shooting could even get underway."  They don't go right when he plans to sink a ship.  They don't go right when he loses voters.  Kate Plummer (NEWSWEEK) reports:


Two people who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 election have since said they "feel betrayed" by the president after their son was detained in Georgia.

Argentine American couple Martin Verdi and Debora Rey told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution they felt let down by the administration after their son, Agustin Gentile, 31, a green card holder, was sent to Stewart Detention Center in South Georgia. With roughly 1,700 detainees, the center is the country's second-largest immigrant jail.
[. . .]
Gentile, a father of two, was stopped by officials in February after returning from a trip abroad and landing at Los Angeles International Airport. DHS officials confiscated his green card and Argentine passport and directed him to report to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he lives. Officials there detained him and sent him to a local county jail. He was then transferred to Stewart Detention Center.
Gentile was convicted in 2020 of infliction of injury and sentenced to three years' probation, according to court records seen by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The case was closed in 2023.

He moved with his family from Argentina to the U.S. in the 1990s as a toddler.
Debora Rey told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "[Trump] didn't say he was going to do this, that he was going to go after people who have been here for a long time. He said he was going to go after all the criminals who came illegally.


A New York immigration lawyer has described a recent surge in the detention and deportation of undocumented Irish individuals from the US, a result of the Trump administration's recent crackdown.

"Every single bit of this is tragic and cruel", said New York lawyer Brian O'Dwyer, referring to the Irish people being rounded up and deported since February.
As chairman emeritus and founder of the Emerald Isle Immigration Centre, with offices in Queens and the Bronx, O'Dwyer has received reports of individuals being detained during routine check-ins with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Many of these individuals had been working to regularize their status under deferred action arrangements. It comes as all Americans face a major new ID rule within days.


Everyone has a target painted on their back in Chump Land.  

And, in Chump Land, the more crooked and inept you are, the more Chump rewards you.  Richard Chachowski (PARADE) notes:


Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the abrupt cancellation of U.S. weapons flights to Ukraine in February — without President Donald Trump’s knowledge — leaving top national security officials blindsided and scrambling for answers, according to internal records.
The sudden cancellation of 11 military cargo flights in early February, carrying pre-approved Biden-era aid, reportedly caught the White House, Pentagon, and State Department completely off guard at the time.

However, in a stunning look behind-the-scenes, via internal records from the U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) that were seen by Reuters, the verbal order originated from Hegseth’s office and sparked confusion not just in Washington, but in Kyiv and Warsaw, where the shipments were being coordinated.

Hegseth’s decision reportedly came on the heels of a Jan. 30 Oval Office meeting on Ukraine policy. While aid was discussed, three sources told Reuters that Trump gave no explicit order to halt assistance — raising serious questions about Hegseth’s interpretation of the president’s intent.


I think it raises serious questions about Hegseth's competence. We already knew  he wasn't qualified for the job.  But he's the type of man Chump's attracted to -- like that 80s male soap star back in the day.  Adam Nichols (RAW STORY) notes:

 According to an exclusive report from Reuters, the canceled flights sparked panicked communications from Ukraine and a scramble to get the planes in the air. A week later, the artillery was headed to the war-torn country, with an additional cost of $2.2 million, Reuters reported.

[. . .]

Records reviewed by Reuters showed the cancellations cost $2.2 million.

It “points to an at-times haphazard policy-making process within the Trump administration and a command structure that is unclear even to its own ranking members,” the report stated.

“The multiday pause of the flights, confirmed by five people with knowledge of it, also shows confusion in how the administration has created and implemented national security policy.”


How many times is the Hegseth going to hit the fan?  How many times is Donald Chump going to shirk his duties and continue to cover for Hegseth?  


Hegseth was already in hot water after revelations that he shared sensitive attack plans against Houthi rebels in Yemen in two Signal group chats. According to a Monday report from The Wall Street Journal, Hegseth has used Signal - which is only approved for extremely limited, unclassified communication use by the Pentagon - much more extensively than previously known. 

Sources who spoke to the WSJ say the defense secretary has made over a dozen Signal chats to discuss all manner of DOD policy and issues with relevant parties - including representatives from foreign governments and partner nations. According to the sources, Hegseth has used Signal to discuss potentially sensitive information both on his personal phone, and on unsecure lines in the Pentagon. In other instances, it's Marine Col. Ricky Buria - a Hegseth aide - who posts information onto Hegseth's Signal chats on his behalf. Buria was, according to sources, the individual who posed air strike plans against the Houthis in a chat with Hegseth's wife and brother.


Gabe Whisnant (NEWSWEEK)  notes, "In one instance, Hegseth directed his aides via Signal to notify foreign government officials about an ongoing military operation, the Journal reported. The defense secretary also used Signal to coordinate media appearance, plan foreign travel, manage his schedule and discuss other unclassified but sensitive issues, the report said.  The Journal reported that Hegseth set up many of the Signal chats himself and sent messages from an unsecured line at the Department of Defense, as well as from his personal phone.  Rhian Lubin (INDEPENDENT) explains, "Among the most sensitive messages Hegseth reportedly sent on the app was to instruct aides to inform U.S. allies overseas about an unfolding military operation, according to the newspaper, citing two people familiar with his management.  The former Fox News host reportedly sent the messages from an unsecured line in his Pentagon office from his personal phone."



Hegseth is the disaster that never ends which is only a surprise if you never grasped that he had no training for the job of Secretary of Defense.  No wonder he needed to install a beauty salon near his office so he can be camera ready in an instant.  Camera ready is all the TV personality has really ever done.  And hate to be the one to point it out but if you're spending all that money on hair and make up, whomever is doing that make up needs to stop covering the Psoriasis patches on Hegseth's skin.  Use a foundation to cover the entire face because all you're doing is making the patches stand out more by piling make up on them and not the surrounding areas.  

While Donald Chump does not care about national security -- as evidenced by the stolen documents he hid at his Florida slum and as evidenced by his security appointees -- Senator Jack Reed actually does care and he issued the following statement on Friday:


WASHINGTON, DC – Over the past 100 days, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s tenure at the Pentagon has been marked by sweeping ideological purges, scandals, and the unjustified firings of senior military leaders.

On Thursday, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to address Secretary Hegseth’s damaging misconduct and the long-term consequences for the U.S. military.

A video of Senator Reed’s remarks may be viewed here.

A transcript of Senator Reed’s floor speech follows:

REED:  Mr. President, I rise to discuss my concern about the chaos that is roiling the Department of Defense.  Sunday will mark the 100th day of Pete Hegseth serving as Secretary of Defense.  During his confirmation hearing, Mr. Hegseth said, quote, “[President Trump] wants a Pentagon laser focused on warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards and readiness.  That’s it.  That is my job.”  Well, Mr. President, Secretary Hegseth is failing the mission President Trump gave him.  His actions over the past 100 days have done nothing but distract the Pentagon and undermine its warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness. 

In his first 100 days, Secretary Hegseth has terminated or weakened programs and processes that are the bedrock upon which the military recruits personnel and trains servicemembers to go into battle.  For example, in February, the Secretary announced his plan to slash the civilian workforce by 5 to 8 percent, terminate probationary workers, and institute a hiring freeze.  These severe measures have only meant more work for the remaining employees, and more costly work for military officers and contractors to cover the gaps, or simply not carry out missions.

The Secretary has also launched a number of efforts to eliminate diversity and inclusion programs, which have led to more limited recruiting efforts, attempts to separate honorably serving transgender servicemembers, dissolving social clubs at the military academies, banning and removing books from the Naval Academy, and inspiring walkouts by students at DOD schools abroad over book bans and curriculum changes. I joined the Army in 1967 and served on active duty for 12 years, and the idea that dependent children of military personnel, in DOD schools, would protest the Secretary of Defense, to me was inconceivable, but it’s happened.  This shows, I think, great anxiety in the ranks of our military personnel all across the globe.

The Secretary is also failing his duty to lead the Department by example.  On March 24, Mr. Hegseth demonstrated a severe lack of judgment when he texted classified military intelligence on the unclassified and unsecure Signal app to at least two group chats, including one with his wife, brother, and personal lawyer.  That information, if intercepted by an adversary, would endanger the lives of our servicemembers deployed downrange.  The Secretary also installed a “dirty line” – an unsecure internet connection – in his Pentagon office so he could more easily send texts and personal emails.  Such actions violate the laws and protocols that every other military servicemember is required to follow.  The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General is conducting an investigation of Mr. Hegseth’s mishandling of classified information, and I look forward to its findings.

Just hours ago, we learned of press reports that National Security Adviser Mike Waltz may be fired this week because of his own actions around the Signal incident.  If true, I welcome the message of accountability that it would send.  Mr. Waltz made a significant mistake in adding a reporter to a sensitive Signal chat, and his failure of judgment could have had serious national security consequences.  I respect that he took responsibility for his mistake.  In contrast, Secretary Hegseth has refused to take responsibility for his own misconduct, which in my view was far more egregious than Mr. Waltz’s.

Indeed, the fallout from this incident has further eroded the already dismal credibility that the Secretary brought to the Pentagon.  The Secretary’s inner circle of hand-picked advisers have nearly all resigned or been fired.  His chief of staff was dismissed amid allegations of incompetence and unsettling personal behavior.  Three of his senior policy advisors were fired for allegedly leaking sensitive information, which they all staunchly deny.  And his top spokesman resigned after losing confidence in the Secretary, writing, quote, “The building is in disarray under Hegseth’s leadership,” and, quote, “The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon — and it’s becoming a real problem for the administration.”  This chain of events is extraordinary and underscores the concerns I raised at Secretary Hegseth’s nomination hearing.  He does not possess the temperament nor the management skills needed to lead the Pentagon. 

There have been multiple news reports that Secretary Hegseth spends much of his day focused on perceived leaks and that he has become paranoid, lashing out at aides and senior military leaders, convinced that they are undermining him.  He has threatened his top military advisors, including then-acting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Grady and Joint Chiefs Director General Sims, with polygraph tests in order to prove that these distinguished military leaders are not liars.

The Secretary’s office should be leading the Pentagon, allowing the rest of the Department to be laser-focused on their missions.  But again, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have made that very difficult due to the internal disarray they have created by firing key military leaders.

These firings include the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Commander of Cyber Command, the U.S. Military Representative to NATO, the Vice Chief of the Air Force, the Secretary of Defense Senior Military Aide, and the top uniformed lawyers, or Judge Advocates General, of each of the military services.  As I’ve said before, if you want to break the law, you start by getting rid of the lawyers.

These are not minor positions.  They are vital to the Department’s mission, and when left unfilled, the military loses focus and missions are compromised.   These officers were fired without a plan to replace them, which is crippling our military’s effectiveness during a perilous time.  More importantly, these officers were fired without explanation, which leads to the worst possible outcome for a military force – fear throughout the ranks that one should not speak up, should not refuse an illegal order, and should not call out abuse nor question decisions. 

General and flag officers are charged with providing their unbiased “best military advice” to the civilian leaders of the Department of Defense. Servicemembers are expected to give candid feedback to their leaders and peers, and commanders expect troops to give them the facts, straight and true, because lives are on the line.  Similarly, Congress expects candor from senior officers to provide their best judgment — without fear of retribution — for both the security of our country, and that of the 2 million servicemembers who put themselves in harm’s way.

But firing officers as a political litmus test poisons this military ethos.  It sends an immediate signal to troops that providing their unbiased best military advice might have career-ending consequences.

I will take a brief moment to discuss the officers who have been dismissed.

General CQ Brown

General CQ Brown served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was fired, without explanation, not even halfway into his four-year term.  He was visiting our troops on the southern border when he was abruptly dismissed by the President without even the courtesy of a warning.  General Brown served our nation honorably for more than four decades and led the Joint Chiefs with dedication and skill.  The Senate approved his nomination by a vote of 83-11.  To date, the Trump Administration has given no justification for his dismissal. 

Seven full weeks passed without a confirmed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.  General Dan Caine has now been confirmed and is working hard to get up to speed.  Given what happened to his predecessor, General Caine must realize that in addition to his duties as the Chairman, he must also deal with the political intrigue consuming the Pentagon.  I hope that General Caine will always provide his best military advice to the President and the Secretary of Defense, even if that advice not what they would want to hear.

Admiral Lisa Franchetti

Secretary Hegseth also dismissed Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who served as the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations.  She was the first woman to lead the Navy, and the first to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Admiral Franchetti served in leadership roles at every level throughout the Navy, both ashore and at sea, and with postings around the globe.  She was a trailblazer, team builder, and inspiration to many.  The Senate approved her nomination by a vote of 95-1.  Again, the Trump Administration has given no justification for her dismissal. 

To date, the Administration has not nominated a new Chief of Naval Operations.  It has been two months since Admiral Franchetti was dismissed, and the Navy remains without a Senate-confirmed Chief of Naval Operations at a time when the service is involved in the most combat operations since World War II in the Red Sea.

General Timothy Haugh

General Timothy Haugh served as the Commander of U.S. Cyber Command and Director of the National Security Agency.  As the commander of Cyber Command, General Haugh led the most formidable cyber warfighting force in the world, responsible for detecting, deterring, and overseeing cyber operations against America’s adversaries – particularly China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and various terrorist organizations.  General Haugh had a distinguished 34-year career within Air Force cyber and intelligence organizations, including multiple command assignments. 

I am extremely concerned that press reports indicate that Laura Loomer, a fringe conspiracy theorist, convinced President Trump to dismiss General Haugh and fire a slew of expert staff on the National Security Council for no discernible reason.   Now, when a conspiracy theorist can get into the President’s office and convince him to fire an officer of General Haugh’s caliber – and others on the National Security Council – there’s not only something wrong with that individual, there’s something wrong with the President who would listen to them without consulting others.

The Senate unanimously confirmed General Haugh to his post in December 2023, and, once again, the Trump Administration has given no explanation for his dismissal.  The Trump Administration has not selected a new CYBERCOM commander, and it’s unclear if there is any sense of urgency to fill this position.  Secretary Hegseth has given a priceless gift to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea by purging leadership from one of our most vital national security commands.

Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield

Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield served as the United States Military Representative to NATO, the first woman to hold this position.  She held a vital leadership role within the alliance, particularly as it related to coordinating international support to Ukraine.  Admiral Chatfield was among the finest military officers our nation had to offer, with a 38-year career as a Navy helicopter pilot, foreign policy expert, and preeminent military educator, including as President of the Naval War College. 

The Senate unanimously confirmed Vice Admiral Chatfield to her post in December 2023.  The Trump Administration has given no justification for her dismissal, and has not nominated any replacement to this critical posting at NATO.

General James Slife

General James Slife was the U.S. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff – the second highest ranking officer in the Air Force.  He spent most of his 36-year career as a special operations helicopter pilot.  He deployed many times around the world and flew countless combat missions in perilous conditions.  General Slife risked his life repeatedly for our nation and led his fellow special operators and Airmen with distinction. 

The Senate unanimously confirmed General Slife to his post in December 2023.  The Trump Administration has given no explanation for his dismissal, nor nominated any officer to help lead the Air Force. 

Lieutenant General Jennifer Short

Lieutenant General Jennifer Short was the first female Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense.  She advised the Secretary and served as the representative for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, coordinating policy and operations across the Joint Staff, combatant commands, and with the U.S. interagency.  A command pilot with more than 1,800 flight hours, including more than 430 combat hours in the A-10, she flew in operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom, and commanded Airmen at the squadron, wing, major command, and combatant command levels.

The Senate unanimously confirmed her to her post.  The Trump Administration has given no explanation for her dismissal. 

Judge Advocates General

Finally, I am deeply concerned by Secretary Hegseth’s dismissal of the Judge Advocates General of the military services.  These officers, known as “TJAGs,” are the most senior uniformed lawyers in the military. 

These officers each served more than 30 years in uniform as military lawyers.  They were strictly apolitical and held fundamental roles ensuring that balanced, legal counsel was part of every military policy discussion.  These officers provided legal oversight that spanned military justice, operational law, administrative compliance, government ethics, and U.S. adherence to the Law of Armed Conflict. 

These unprecedented firings, along with the firings of the Inspectors General, should alarm everyone about the commitment of the President, and the Secretary of Defense, to the rule of law for the military, and also within the United States and across the world. 

Mr. President, the Defense Department is one of the most complex institutions in the world, with a budget of nearly $900 billion and a workforce of nearly 3 million military and civilian personnel.  It is an organization that requires strong leadership, stability, predictability, and trust.  These qualities are critical because we ask the Department’s men and women to risk their lives every day in service of their country.  Mr. President, those men and women who gave their lives, and all those who still serving at this moment, deserve the best.  They deserve a leader who is as laser focused on readiness, lethality and the mission as they are.  Not someone who treats his position as Secretary as a performative exercise complete with a Twitter feed dominated with workout videos. 

Our servicemembers deserve better.  They deserve someone who is focused on them, not focused on himself.   If Secretary Hegseth does not improve his job performance, the conditions at the Pentagon will continue to deteriorate and something worse is bound to happen.  I hope Secretary Hegseth takes note. 

I yield the floor.


How bad is it for Hegesth?  Even another beleaguered Cabinet member feels he can take shots at Hegseth publicly.  David Gilmour (MEDIAITE) notes:


Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized the Pentagon on Fox News Monday after a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter caused two commercial flights to be diverted near Washington’s Reagan National Airport last week.

According to the FAA and NTSB, air traffic control ordered a Delta Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170 to execute “go-arounds” around 2:30 p.m. after the helicopter, inbound to the Pentagon heliport, was instructed to circle the building before landing. The FAA characterized the Black Hawk as a priority air transport aircraft.

[. . .]

“The question becomes, who are the VIPs? Who are they?” Duffy asked, implying high-ranking military personnel were treating D.C. airspace like their personal sky lane. “The top brass at the White House – they take a Suburban, or a Tesla, or they take their own car. Who do these generals think they are, that they have to take helicopters to go to meetings?”

“Who was it?” host Laura Ingraham pressed.

“I don’t know who it was,” Duffy replied.

“Who do we ask?” the host said. “I mean you’re the transportation secretary, how do you not know?”

“The FAA doesn’t know, we asked the DOD,” Duffy said.


Then, in a pointed swipe at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s promise of Pentagon “transparency,” he remarked: “The DOD has promised radical transparency, they should tell us who is qualified to take a helicopter out of the Pentagon. I don’t know but they have to tell us.”

“Can we call Pete Hegseth?” Ingraham teased.

“I should actually,” Duffy replied.



We'll wind down with this from Senator Patty Murray's office and note how the unqualified Doug Collins, VA Secretary, is trying to interfere in Congress' interactions with veterans.


ICYMI: After Trump Admin Refuses to Allow VA to Host Discussion on Women Veterans’ Health Care, Senator Murray Meets with Women Veterans and Advocates In Seattle

*** VIDEO of Senator Murray’s Exchange with VA Secretary HERE***

Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee oversight hearing with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, pressed Secretary Collins on how the Trump administration’s mass firing of VA employes is hurting veterans’ ability to get the health care they need—from jeopardizing VA research, to creating new risks around the deployment of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system to additional VA Medical Centers, which the Trump administration is insisting on moving ahead with despite persistent and unresolved issues at the sites where it is currently deployed. Murray also pressed Secretary Collins on new policies the Trump administration recently rolled out that severely limit Congressional engagement with veterans and VA for no legitimate reason.

“Secretary Collins, thank you for being here. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me yesterday morning about the new policies that you now have related to Congressional engagement,” Senator Murray began. “For all of my colleagues: this new policy will limit our ability to interact with veterans on a VA campus, as it did when I was denied the ability to host a veteran and provider roundtable at the Seattle VA. I’ll note, I have done that many times over my 30 years in the Senate. My staff was told it was a new policy which had not been put into writing at the time that I got denied. And I just want to reiterate my request, Mr. Secretary, that you share that newly written policy with every single member of Congress.”

“Senator, as you and I talked yesterday, this had been an unwritten policy for years that had been applied differently. I went back and checked it had been applied differently,” said Secretary Collins.

“I’ve never been denied before, I don’t know anybody else who has. This is a new policy, and I think it’s important that you have it in writing to every single member, so we all know that,” Senator Murray emphasized.

“It will be,” Secretary Collins affirmed.

“I’d also note that in our conversation yesterday, as well as in your responses to nearly all of the oversight letters I’ve seen, you are relying on this very broad explanation to everything that…‘everything you do is to ensure veterans receive the care and services they deserve.’ I want to take this opportunity, Mr. Secretary, to remind you the people on this dais, both sides, have the same purpose. Many of us have been doing this for decades. And oversight is both constitutionally required, and it is critical for all of us to do our jobs,” Senator Murray continued. “With that in mind, I would ask you to rescind the memo from your Chief of Staff, which allows him to personally sign off on any proposed or planned engagement with any one of the 535 Members of Congress, which really just stonewalls legitimate questions that we have.”

Secretary Collins responded, “Senator, that was a memo that was, that’s a mischaracterization of that memo. It simply was coordinating between OM and our legislative affairs office to make sure that our OM staff, who actually deal with the budget side, which you do, and our legislative affairs, were on the same page. Just as you wouldn’t want to in your staff talking to the same group and basically not being on the same page.”

Senator Murray pressed, “I have the letter, and it directly says that every request we have, has to go through your Chief of Staff. From our staff who want questions, from any of us who do, everything has to be rerouted up to the top. That is going to take forever. That denies us the ability for us to get the information we need.”

“We’ll make sure that all, you know—legislative inquiries, the stuff that you need—you’re getting the oversight. I agree with you. I served in Congress as well. Oversight is important. But also getting you good information is important as well,” Secretary Collins dodged.

“I appreciate that. So, is that letter no longer in place, no longer applies?” Senator Murray inquired.

Secretary Collins continued, “That letter is…to streamline information so we can get you, actually, information quicker.”

“Streamlined all the way to the top, so our questions are never answered. That’s how we all read it,” pressed Senator Murray.

Secretary Collins doubled down, “No, that is not the way the letter is written. So, that is not the way the interpretation is.”  

“I would ask you to go back and look. Because again, we have oversight responsibility. We all take that very seriously…We need those responses, we don’t need weeks and months to go through some—all the way to the top and one guy sitting there deciding whether or not we get the information,” continued Senator Murray.

“Well, there is no weeks and months. And that’s, you know, the unfortunate part of the VA has been a bureaucracy issue. This is what we’re trying to actually streamline to get you information,” Secretary Collins replied.

Senator Murray made it clear, “I mean this: I’d like you to go back and look at that letter and remind yourselves we all need the information.”

Senator Murray continued by asking Secretary Collins about the how VA’s plan to fire more than 80,000 employees will affect the planned deployment of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system to new sites, which VA is moving forward with despite serious and persistent issues with the system at the sites where it is currently deployed, which include two VA Medical Centers in Washington state—Joseph M. Wainwright in Walla Walla and Mann-Grandstaff in Spokane.

Senator Murray asked, “As you know, fixing EHR and getting it right for our veterans is about patient safety. During your hearing, I expressed my concerns about VA moving forward with deploying the new system at four additional new sites when it’s still experiencing very serious issues at places in my state—Spokane and Walla Walla. And you said that when it comes to EHR, you were going to ‘listen to our clinicians’ and ‘listen to our hospitals.’ Weeks later, VA announced plans to look at firing a staggering 80,000 employees this year. I want to know did you ask these VA clinicians and hospitals about how those cuts would affect future EHR deployments?”

“The issue of employment and EHR deployments are separate,” responded Secretary Collins. “We’re not looking—again, I can’t emphasize this enough, none of the reorganization that we’re looking at deals with frontline workers or frontline employees—”

“That was not my question,” pressed Senator Murray.

“So yes, we’ve included Dr. Evans, who runs our program, he’s been working the program for well over a decade,” replied Secretary Collins.

Senator Murray continued her questioning: “I’ve been very vocal, you know this, about VA’s troubling decision not to renew the terms of researchers who are working on absolutely critical projects and clinical trials for our veterans. There are planned trials that have not started, there are ongoing trials that have been stopped, and there are trials that have fallen apart due to staff layoffs. Yes or no, would you agree that clinical trials stopping would have an impact on the care for our veterans?”

“I think clinical trials are very important,” said Secretary Collins. “And the good thing about it is, when we looked at it, there were trials that were coming due that, just as they always do. I put a 90-day stop on that so we can examine and make sure that everything’s going good.”

“I understand, there’s a pause on this new policy. Has a decision been made about what happens when that pause stops?” pressed Senator Murray.

“We’re currently in the process of examining that,” replied Secretary Collins.

“So, clinical trials that are out there have no idea, they’ve got to wait 90 days and pray?” asked Senator Murray.

“At this point in time, like I said, some of those were actually stopped at the end, and…we’re actually keeping some in line so that they can continue, if need be,” Secretary Collins said.

Senator Murray was the first woman to join the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the first woman to chair the Committee—as the daughter of a World War II veteran, supporting veterans and their families has always been an important priority for her. Senator Murray has been a leading voice in the Senate speaking out forcefully against President Trump and Elon Musk’s mass firing of VA employees and VA researchers across the country and Elon Musk and DOGE’s infiltration of the VA, including accessing veterans’ sensitive personal information.

Last week at a hearing on veterans’ mental health, Senator Murray pressed administration officials on the importance of transparency and communication with Congress and how the Trump administration’s mass firings might undermine care for veterans who have dealt with sexual trauma. In February, Murray grilled Trump’s then-nominee for VA Deputy Secretary, Dr. Paul Lawrence, on the mass firings of VA employees and VA researchers. After pressing Doug Collins on EHR and protecting women’s access to VA health care, including lifesaving abortion care, at his nomination hearing, Senator Murray voted against Doug Collins’s nomination to be VA Secretary in early February, sounding the alarm over Elon Musk and DOGE’s activities at the VA and making clear that the Trump administration’s lawlessness is putting our national security and our veterans at risk.

Last month, Senator Murray released a report on how Trump’s mass firings at VA are already hurting veterans’ services and health care in Washington state and across the country. Senator Murray and her colleagues have demanded that VA swiftly reverse moves to cut VA researchers, and have sent multiple letters pressing Secretary Collins to sever Elon Musk and DOGE’s access to any VA or other government system with information about veterans, and protect veterans, their families, and VA staff from unprecedented access to sensitive information.

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