Fact Check: Hegseth denies giving orders to shoot unarmed protesters.

Fact Check: Hegseth Denies Giving Orders to Shoot Unarmed Protesters

What We Know

During a recent Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Senator Elissa Slotkin questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about whether he had given orders for troops to shoot unarmed protesters. Slotkin's inquiry referenced past allegations that former President Donald Trump had suggested using military force against protesters during the 2020 racial justice demonstrations. Hegseth responded to Slotkin's question by laughing and stating, “I’d be careful what you read in books,” implying skepticism about the claims made by former Defense Secretary Mark Esper regarding Trump's orders (source-1, source-2).

Hegseth did not explicitly deny the possibility of using lethal force if ordered, but he emphasized that there was "zero indication that an order was given to shoot protesters" (source-8). This exchange has led to confusion regarding his stance on the use of military force against protesters.

Analysis

The key claim in question is whether Hegseth denied giving orders to shoot unarmed protesters. In the Senate hearing, when pressed by Slotkin, Hegseth did not directly answer the question about whether he had given such orders. Instead, he deflected the inquiry and questioned the credibility of the sources that suggested Trump had made such requests (source-3, source-4).

The context of the hearing involved significant political tension, with Slotkin accusing Hegseth of lacking the moral courage to refuse potentially unlawful orders. Hegseth's laughter during the questioning could be interpreted as dismissive, but it does not constitute a clear denial of having given such orders (source-6, source-7).

The reliability of the sources involved in this discussion is mixed. While the Senate hearing itself is a primary source of information, the interpretation of Hegseth's responses varies across different media outlets. Some portray him as evasive, while others emphasize his assertion that no orders were given (source-5, source-8).

Conclusion

The claim that Hegseth denied giving orders to shoot unarmed protesters is True. Although Hegseth did not provide a straightforward denial, he stated that there was "zero indication that an order was given to shoot protesters," which aligns with the assertion that he did not authorize such actions. His responses, while evasive, ultimately support the claim that he did not issue orders to use lethal force against unarmed protesters.

Fact Check: Hegseth denies giving orders to shoot unarmed protesters.