Trump CIA Chief Rages At Hearing When Asked If Hegseth Was ‘Drinking Before He Leaked Classified Information’
Trump CIA Director John Ratcliffe raged at a question about Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s drinking during a hearing that was dominated by the Signalgate scandal.
Ratliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, FBI Director Kash Patel, were on the hot seat for a second day on Wednesday — this time at a hearing before the House Intelligence Committee.
Fireworks erupted at the hearing when Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) asked whether Hegseth — whose history of drinking was a major theme at his confirmation hearing — was under the influence during the Signal chat:
REP. JIMMY GOMEZ: Secretary of Defense Hegseth, and a lot of questions were brought up regarding his drinking habits in his confirmation hearing.
To your knowledge, do you know whether Pete Hegseth had been drinking before he leaked classified information?
DNI TULSI GABBARD: I don’t have any knowledge of Secretary Hegseth’s personal habits. Director Ratcliffe, same question. Yes or no?
DIR. JOHN RATCLIFFE: You know, no, I’m going to answer that. I think that’s an offensive line of questioning. The answer is no. I find it interesting that you want to.
REP. JIMMY GOMEZ: Hey, I yield back–.
DIR. JOHN RATCLIFFE: No, I’m gonna answer.
REP. JIMMY GOMEZ: This is my time. Hey, I yield back.
DIR. JOHN RATCLIFFE: (CROSSTALK)
REP. JIMMY GOMEZ: This is my time. Director. Director. No, listen, it’s a yes or no.
DIR. JOHN RATCLIFFE: You don’t want to focus on the good work that the CIA is doing, that the intelligence community–
REP. JIMMY GOMEZ: Director, I reclaim my time. Director, I reclaim my time, director, I reclaimed my time.
I have huge respect for the CIA, huge respect for men and women in uniform. But this was a question that’s on the top of minds of every American, right?
He stood in front of a podium in Europe holding a drink!
So of course, we want to know if his performance is compromised. If your people were asking if the– General Austin was compromised because of a heart issue–.
DIR. JOHN RATCLIFFE: Was his performance compromised because of a successful strike?
REP. JIMMY GOMEZ: I yield back, Mr. I bring my–
DIR. JOHN RATCLIFFE: You want to know, you want to talk about accepting responsibility–.
REP. JIMMY GOMEZ: I reclaim my time! I reclaim my time! I reclaim my time!
–do you think you should accept responsibility for a successful strike to make Americans safer?
REP. JIMMY GOMEZ: I want to focus on… I reclaimed my time.
So here’s the thing. This is serious. As somebody, we’ve been briefed in this committee about using Signal.
One of the things they basically said, the most secure phone call, the least secure text messaging. And we know that your people, Russians, Chinese, are on your phone.
CHAIRMAN: The gentleman’s time’s expired.
The photograph Gomez referenced was an optical illusion that made it appear he was drinking a brown liquid— Hegseth was drinking a clear liquid.
Watch above via CNN.
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