Senate Democrat Gets Into Shouting Match With CIA Director Over Trump’s War Against Iran: ‘I’m Not Asking You Anymore!’

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) got into a shouting match with CIA Director John Ratcliffe on Wednesday over President Donald Trump’s ongoing war against Iran.

“Nineteen days into President Trump’s unauthorized war with Iran, and by which I mean there has been no congressional approval, at least 13 American service members are dead and many others are injured,” said Bennet during Wednesday’s Senate Intelligence Committee hearing with Ratcliffe and others:

President Trump has offered no credible justification for the imminent threat, no clear goals, no strategy or timeline. His message keeps changing, I think, in really damaging ways. President Trump said Iran’s nuclear facilities had been, quote, “totally obliterated” in June 2025, but when he launched this latest war he said we need to eliminate the imminent nuclear threat of those totally obliterated nuclear facilities. […]

President Trump said he will end the war “when I feel it, feel it in my bones,” and “at any time I want to end it, it will end.” But director, the war is not ending. It is escalating with thousands of U.S. Marines reportedly sailing toward Iran on an unclear mission – a mission that’s become less clear over days, not more clear.

After Bennet asked Ratcliffe to respond, the CIA director said, “I guess I have to address upfront so much of what you related in there, the difference between political rhetoric versus–”

Bennet snapped, “It’s not political rhetoric. I’m quoting the president of the United States!”

Ratcliffe continued, “–the difference between that and military and intelligence execution. But here’s the most important thing. You mischaracterized this as saying there aren’t clearly defined goals. The defined goals are very clear: degrade and destroy the missile inventory and drone inventory, delay and and degrade the military industrial base and factories.”

As Bennet tried to question him, Ratcliffe continued to speak, prompting the two men to start shouting loudly over each other.

“May I have my time back, Mr. Chairman?” Bennet protested. “I can’t get a word in edgewise. He won’t answer the question and then he’s taken a minute of my time.”

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton denied Bennet’s request, replying, “You’re both big boys. You can handle it yourselves.”

As Bennet tried to continue questioning Ratcliffe, the CIA director interrupted him again, prompting Bennet to shout at him.

“I’m not asking you anymore, director! I’m sorry because I’m out of time because of how you used the time,” he concluded. “The complete lack of clarity should matter to everybody. President Trump most of all. He is the person that got elected on the criticism that we had fought two wars in the Middle East that had lasted for 20 years.”

Watch above via CNN.

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