Democrats Accuse Pentagon Chief of Unpreparedness Over Iran Strikes
The lawmakers—Mark Kelly, Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, and Kirsten Gillibrand—argued that the Pentagon did not take sufficient precautionary measures to protect US personnel in the region after what they described as an escalation initiated under President Donald Trump’s policies.
In their letter, the senators said the Defense Department failed “to take even basic precautions to protect the lives of U.S. service members after President Trump initiated his reckless war against Iran.”
They referenced a March 1 drone strike in Kuwait that Iran reportedly carried out following earlier US and Israeli strikes. According to the senators, the incident was part of a broader pattern of retaliatory attacks that exposed US forces to ongoing risk in the region.
They also cited casualties among US troops during the conflict, stating that multiple service members had been killed and more than 300 injured, even as a ceasefire is currently in place.
“The safety and well-being of our service members should be a top priority for DoD leadership. That requires careful consideration of major operations like Epic Fury and plans to prevent possible harm from foreseeable attacks, like retaliation with drone strikes,” the senators wrote.
The group, all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, submitted nine questions to Hegseth requesting clarification on planning, preparedness, and operational decision-making, and asked for a response by May 11.
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