Kaine Statement on Meeting of Military Officials at Quantico

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump's meeting with military officers at Quantico:

"Ordering America's best military leaders to leave their duty stations at the same time to fly from all around the world to gather in one room to listen to highly partisan speeches is an incredible security risk and waste of taxpayer dollars. We should be focused on improving military readiness, supporting servicemembers and their families, getting our shipbuilding programs back on track, and addressing real threats from China, Russia, and other adversaries. Instead, Secretary Hegseth disrespected servicemembers, especially women who serve in combat, and announced steps to weaken Inspector General oversight that is critical to delivering safety and efficiency. President Trump's proposal to use U.S. cities as 'training grounds' to address the 'enemy from within' should be deeply troubling to every American. It's clear that today's meeting was nothing but a performance for the Republican base and an effort by Secretary Hegseth to keep his position amid increasing reports of his erratic behavior and concerns from members of Congress, defense officials, and his own Administration about his ability to do the job."

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