September 3, 2026
FROM U.S. SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND, REGARDING THE WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORT ABOUT SECRETARY HEGSETH EXTENDING TROOP DEPLOYMENT: “The immense sacrifice of our service members and their families is being betrayed by the failures of Secretary Hegseth and President Trump. It is unconscionable to extend troop deployments and continue to waste tens of billions of taxpayer dollars on their failed war, launched without a clear mission, coherent strategy, or exit plan. “This administration has unlimited money for bombs, ballrooms, and billionaires, but nothing for hardworking families here at home struggling with higher costs on gas, groceries, and essentials because of this war. If this administration believed in honoring the sacrifice of our service members and their families, they would bring the troops home, end this wasteful war, and replace Pete Hegseth.”
Gillibrand also says that this comes weeks after multiple public reports detailing dismal conditions for sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln from service members’ families and the administration’s callous, despicable response to the plight of America’s heroes. “Secretary Hegseth has left our military rudderless, pushed out our best and brightest service members, and embarrassed our military over and over again. As this administration plans to extend troop deployments, remember their statements to the American people that this war was a ‘total and complete victory,’ ‘won’t be difficult,’ was ‘projected [to last] four to five weeks,’ was ‘winding down,’ was ending ‘very soon,’ was ‘ahead of schedule,’ was going to end in ‘two or three weeks,’ then ‘two to three days,’ then ‘very close,’ then again a ‘few days, then ‘going to end pretty soon.’ None of this has been true.”
