Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's drinking habits became a contentious topic at a House Intelligence Committee hearing.
According to The Hill, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) sparked outrage from intelligence leaders when he questioned whether Hegseth had been drinking before leaking classified information in a Signal group chat.
The scrutiny arose from a recent incident reported by The Atlantic, where top Trump national security officials inadvertently included a reporter in a Signal group chat discussing upcoming strikes on Houthis in Yemen. The annual worldwide threats assessment hearing, though scheduled before this breach, quickly shifted focus to this security lapse.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard maintained a neutral stance, stating she had no knowledge of Hegseth's personal habits. CIA Director John Ratcliffe, however, took a more defensive position, expressing visible frustration at the line of questioning.
Rep. Gomez defended his inquiry by emphasizing public interest in the matter. He referenced an incident where Hegseth was seen holding a drink during a public appearance in Europe.
Ratcliffe voiced his disappointment about the hearing's focus, expressing concern that important security threats were being overshadowed by questions about personal habits.
Gabbard delivered a strong defense of Hegseth's character and professional conduct. She emphasized his continued alignment with President Trump's vision for national security.
CIA Director Ratcliffe said:
We're getting questions about whether or not someone has drinking habits. And, you know, I just wish in an annual threats hearing, where the American people want to hear about threats, that that's what we would be talking about.
The intelligence chiefs' protective stance toward Hegseth highlighted the growing tension between security officials and congressional oversight.
Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) challenged the intelligence leaders' defensive posture. She expressed frustration at their dismissive attitude toward Democrats' concerns.
Houlahan stated:
I find it offensive for you to accuse me, as a Democrat, of not caring about national threats. I very much wanted to talk about those. In fact, I had prepared questions in advance of this hearing about those threats, specifically about biosecurity and bioterrorism, but I don't have time to ask those questions.
The exchange underscored the growing partisan divide in congressional oversight of national security matters.
The heated House Intelligence Committee hearing centered on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's alleged drinking habits and a classified information leak through Signal. The incident began when Rep. Jimmy Gomez questioned whether alcohol played a role in Hegseth's accidental inclusion of a reporter in a classified group chat about Yemen strikes. Intelligence leaders, including DNI Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, strongly defended Hegseth while expressing frustration about the hearing's deviation from its intended focus on worldwide threats.
