A high-profile Senate hearing turned awkward after Sen. Dick Durbin challenged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to name wasteful Pentagon medical research projects—only to receive an answer he wasn’t prepared for.
Key Facts:
- Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing over cuts to defense medical research.
- Durbin accused Hegseth of eliminating two-thirds of the Defense Department’s medical research funding.
- Hegseth defended the cuts, citing “boondoggles” and wasteful spending within the department.
- When pressed for an example, Hegseth cited “marbles in the rear ends of cats,” costing tens of millions of dollars.
- Durbin attempted to deflect and change the topic after receiving the answer.
The Rest of The Story:
During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Sen. Dick Durbin criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for cutting a significant portion of the department’s health research budget.
Durbin argued these cuts endangered the well-being of service members and undermined years of bipartisan investment.
Hegseth pushed back, saying his department had removed funding from programs that were wasteful and unrelated to actual military needs.
When Durbin demanded a specific example of such waste, Hegseth cited a project involving “marbles in the rear ends of cats,” costing tens of millions of dollars.
Durbin, appearing caught off guard, tried to brush off the example as absurd, comparing it to exaggerated political claims.
But Hegseth remained firm, explaining that rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse had been a top priority.
“Every dollar that was spent is another dollar we can pour into the war-fighters,” he stated.
SEN. DURBIN: "Give me an example of a 'boondoggle' in medical research & defense health."
SEC. HEGSETH: "We're talking about some stuff I shouldn't say in public. You know, marbles in the rear ends of cats, tens of millions of dollars." pic.twitter.com/0qOkozf9p7
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 11, 2025
Commentary:
This exchange tells you everything you need to know about the current state of Washington.
A sitting senator demanded proof of government waste—and when presented with an outrageous, well-documented example, he chose sarcasm and deflection over seriousness.
Durbin’s performance didn’t look like oversight; it looked like theater.
He seemed less interested in responsible budgeting and more interested in scoring a headline.
If you don’t want the answer, don’t ask the question.
The fact is, waste is rampant across every level of government—especially within sprawling departments like the Pentagon.
Pretending otherwise only signals you’re not serious about reform.
The idea that billions should be shoveled into programs without scrutiny simply because they’re labeled “medical research” is the exact type of lazy thinking that got us here.
Hegseth didn’t say he opposes research to help soldiers. He said he opposes useless spending that’s been hiding under the cover of noble intentions.
The Bottom Line:
Sen. Durbin tried to trap Secretary Hegseth with a challenge, but ended up walking into one himself.
The Defense Department’s budget cuts targeted wasteful and ridiculous projects, not research that helps troops.
When confronted with the truth, Durbin chose spin over substance.
It’s a clear reminder that fiscal responsibility is still treated like a punchline in some parts of Congress.
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