Hegseth dressed down to his face for using anti-Semitic term: 'I cannot stand for that'

A lawmaker grilled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for shamelessly using an anti-Semitic term against his enemies.

"You compare journalists, you compare us, you compare so many to 'Pharisees,'" Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) told Hegseth during a hearing on Thursday. "'Pharisses' is a problematic and historically weaponized term that casts Jewish communities as morally corrupt."

She stressed that "words matter" and asked Hegseth, "How do you justify using this language as Secretary of Defense?" and "Why do you continue to use it?"

Hegseth said "I stand by it" and defended himself by explaining, "It's a pretty accurate term for folks who don't see the plank in their own eye and always want to see what's wrong with an operation."

Rosen was shocked. "You stand by calling people 'Pharisees.' Sir, I cannot stand for that. That is wrong. It is not respectful to people, and I expect anyone who is in leadership in our country to be respectful and use respectful terms and not be an anti-Semite."