Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had a heated discussion with Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) on Wednesday during a congressional hearing about the Pentagon’s budget. Smith questioned Hegseth about the Trump administration’s approach to the conflict with Iran.
Smith began by stating that every president since the Iranian Revolution in 1979 has stopped Iran from getting a nuclear weapon without ever having to go to war, including President Donald Trump during his first term.
He then argued that Iran’s nuclear program hasn’t been weakened at all by Operation Epic Fury.
“So what is the plan to actually make all this military action lead to better nuclear security?”
Smith asked. “Because we haven’t reached that point yet. Lay it out for us.”
Hegseth responded by saying he disagreed with the idea that nothing had been done.
He explained that instead of making bad deals and sending Iran lots of money, the Trump administration was taking a different path.
Smith, who is the top member of the Armed Services Committee, retorted, “So what are we going to do now?”
Hegseth said it was necessary to attack Iran now since the regime was determined to get a nuclear weapon.
He mentioned the strikes that targeted Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and claimed that attacking Iran was needed to push the regime to negotiate and stop its nuclear ambitions. Hegseth also claimed that Iran’s nuclear facilities had been “completely destroyed” by recent strikes.
Smith interrupted, saying, “Whoa whoa whoa whoa!
You said just 60 days ago we had to start this war because the nuclear threat was imminent. Now you’re saying it was completely destroyed?”
Hegseth responded, “They haven’t given up their nuclear ambitions.”
At this point, the two started talking over each other.
Smith said the U.S. military hasn’t achieved anything meaningful.
Hegseth countered, “You’re missing the point.
Their facilities are bombed and destroyed; their ambitions continue.”
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Obama had to legally send money to Iran via a cargo plane, as part of an international court order for a failed American arms deal.
The Obama administration arranged for a plane to transport $400 million in cash to Iran in January 2016.
The $400 million was part of a larger $1.7 billion settlement ($400 million principal + $1.3 billion interest) enforced by International Courts.
The payment was the first installment of a $1.7 billion settlement aimed at resolving a decades-old dispute regarding a failed arms deal from before the 1979 Iranian revolution. Iran paid for arms from America, but America failed to deliver and the International Courts agreed with Iran.
The funds were delivered in foreign currency (Euros, Swiss francs) on an unmarked cargo plane because US sanctions and the lack of a direct banking relationship with Iran made wire transfers impossible.
So it is not as Hegseth is trying to imply – that Obama sent money to Iran as some sort of bribe – it was a legal international court order against America.