Pete Hegseth Can’t Name Constitutional Provision Empowering Trump to Send Marines to LA During Senate Grilling

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) grilled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday over the exact legal grounds President Donald Trump is using to send Marines into Los Angeles to quell protests, which include U.S. citizens.

“Just specifically, Mr. Secretary, what is the authority that the administration is using to deploy active-duty Marines to California neighborhoods? What authority?” Baldwin asked.

Hegseth replied, “Senator, the president has constitutional authority in order to support–”

Baldwin cut in, “Cite the provision of the Constitution.”

Hegseth, a former Fox News morning show host, replied, “I’d have to pull up the specific provision, but our Office of General Counsel, alongside our leadership, has reviewed and ensured in the order that we set out that it’s completely constitutional for the president to use federal troops to defend federal law enforcement.”

“Look, um… I’d like to know the specific constitutional statutory authority. The president made it clear that he relied on Section 12406 of Title 10 with regard to the National Guard troops. I need to know the authority that he is relying upon in terms of active duty Marines being deployed to California neighborhoods. So you’ll follow up with me?” Baldwin added, noting that the administration had publicly cited a statute to federalize the California National Guard, but not for deploying the Marines.

Hegseth responded, “Yes, Senator, but there’s plenty of precedent of active duty troops being used to support law enforcement. Historical precedent.”

Baldwin agreed, “I’m not disputing that. I am just asking you to cite the authority under which the active duty Marines are being deployed to California.”

Hegseth replied by again citing the National Guard order and promising to get back to Baldwin with an answer, “It’s in the order, ma’am, but we’ll make sure we get it to you as well.”

On Tuesday, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), the powerful Senate Appropriations chair, broke with Trump over his deployment of 700 active-duty Marines to LA. “I would draw a distinction between the use of the National Guard and the use of the Marines. Active duty forces are generally not to be involved in domestic law enforcement operations,” Collins told reporters.

Watch the clip above.