Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth got defensive when questioned by a Democratic lawmaker about his close adviser Timothy Parlatore.
Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) asked the Pentagon chief about Parlatore’s role at the Department of Defense, and he expressed surprise multiple times when Hegseth was unable to answer some of his questions about President Donald Trump‘s one-time personal attorney.
“I’m not privy to every professional position he has held,” Hegseth said when asked about his time working on the president’s legal team.
“I will help you out, he did,” Crow said. “You appointed him as your senior advisor, correct?”
Hegseth told the congressman that Parlatore served in the Navy Reserves but conceded he was an adviser to him, and Crow confronted him with evidence when the defense secretary evaded his question about whether they traveled together.
“He travels with you, doesn’t he?” Crow said. “There is public Instagram that shows this, just say yes.”
Hegseth also evaded a question about whether Parlatore worked at the Pentagon.
“He sits in meetings with you and advises you, doesn’t he?” Crow said, and Hegseth agreed that he sometimes did. “He maintains a desk and an office in the Pentagon, does he not? You don’t know?”
“I’d have to check,” Hegseth said. “It’s a big Pentagon.”
Hegseth agreed that he had commissioned Parlatore as a commander in the Navy Reserve in March 2025 and was proud to do so, but he was less willing to say whether his adviser had gone through a Senate confirmation process.
“I will tell you what I’m getting to,” Crow said. “He didn’t maintain a security clearance when you appointed him as a special advisor, is that right? You don’t know?”
Hegseth said anyone with access to sensitive material would obtain appropriate clearance, but Crow pressed for more details.
“So when you appointed him as special advisor, he had security clearance?” Crow said. “I’m asking a simple question, did he have —”
Hegseth interrupted Crow.
“No, you are playing a ‘gotcha; game like you do on TV and everywhere else,” Hegseth said.
“Clearly you are concerned about my line of questioning,” Crow fired back. “You know where it is going, don’t you? I think you do. Does he represent foreign governments? He has a private law practice, does he not? You don’t know? Someone who sits in meetings, you don’t know? Does he currently represent any senior officers who are under consideration by promotion from you or your office?”
Hegseth said only he made those decisions, and Crow again asked whether Parlatore represented any senior officers under consideration for promotion.
“No, I’m the one who makes decisions,” Hegseth said. “He doesn’t represent anyone. He’s a legal advisor and always has been. He’s a legal adviser to me on reserve duty and he always has been, and he does a fantastic job.”
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