Trump official refuses to say if prez is ‘mentally fit to be commander-in-chief’ - BERITAJA

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth pushed backmost against Rep. Sara Jacobs aft she asked whether President Donald Trump is mentally unchangeable capable to service arsenic commandant successful chief. The speech came during a House Armed Services Committee proceeding connected the Pentagon’s 2027 fund request, arsenic the U.S. continues subject operations tied to the Iran conflict.

Jacobs, who represents California’s 51st Congressional District, said subject families had contacted her pinch concerns about the president’s intelligence fittingness arsenic troops are deployed into vulnerable situations. Holding oversized printouts of Trump’s Truth Social posts, Jacobs asked directly, “Our troops, who person shown unthinkable bravery and tactical proficiency, merit to cognize that their leaders are focused and stable. So Mr. Secretary, you are pinch the president a batch and it pains maine to moreover person to inquire this about our president, but my constituents’ lives are astatine stake. Do you judge the president is mentally unchangeable capable to beryllium the commander-in-chief?”

Hegseth’s response

Hegseth did not reply the question. Instead, he shifted to erstwhile President Joe Biden.

SECWAR PETE HEGSETH WITH THE STUNNING TAKEDOWN

REP. JACOBS (D): Do you judge that the president is mentally unchangeable capable to beryllium the commander-in-chief?!

HEGSETH: pic.twitter.com/LOUGZaVgey

— Donald Trump Fan page (@OvTones) April 29, 2026

“Did you inquire the aforesaid mobility of Joe Biden for 4 years?” he fired back. “You did not. And I won’t moreover prosecute pinch the level of disparagement that you’re putting connected the commander-in-chief, who so uh is, I, I mean every, I mean, I mean, each azygous day.”

Jacobs noted Biden is nary longer president and tried to bring the chat back. Hegseth doubled down, praising Trump arsenic the “sharpest” and “most insightful” commandant successful main successful caller history.

“And you want to compare, I mean you want to inquire that mobility aft you and your chap Democrats defended Joe Biden, who could hardly speak and didn’t cognize what time of the week it was? He governed done an autopen,” Hegseth said.

When pressed again, he avoided the question, “Iran should not underestimate the will of President Trump and the United States subject to execute our mission.”

The proceeding ended without a nonstop answer.

The posts that triggered the questioning

The speech followed arguable Truth Social posts from Trump that alarmed lawmakers.

As a deadline for Iran approached, Trump wrote, “A full civilization will dice tonight, ne'er to beryllium brought backmost again. I don’t want that to happen, but it about apt will.”

Jacobs presented the station during the hearing.

Ninety minutes earlier an 8 p.m. deadline tied to imaginable strikes connected Iran’s power infrastructure, Trump announced a two-week negotiated extension, citing talks led by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Iran has restricted lipid transit done the Strait of Hormuz since the U.S. and Israel escalated the conflict successful precocious February, triggering a awesome proviso daze and rising world power prices.

The Iran war

Jacobs described the run arsenic struggling.

The conflict has killed 13 American work members and the Strait of Hormuz blockade has pushed up user costs and fueled a world power crisis.

Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst said the war, called “Operation Epic Fury,” has costs about $25 billion, mostly connected munitions.

White House fund head Russell Vought declined to task full costs, while a Harvard University expert estimated the conflict could scope $1 trillion.

Lawmakers successful some parties are considering the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which requires legislature support for conflicts lasting much than 60 days. The rule allows a 30-day withdrawal window, giving the management until June to act.

The $1.5 trillion defense fund request

The management is seeking a grounds $1.5 trillion defense fund arsenic the warfare continues.

Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine testified connected the fiscal twelvemonth 2027 request. The management has not yet submitted a supplemental backing petition for the warfare contempt already precocious spending.

Rep. Austin Scott warned, “We’re going to suffer immoderate Republican votes. We’re going to person to person immoderate Democratic votes to do the things that we person to do to money the Department of Defense.”