During a House Armed Services Committee hearing last Wednesday California Far-Left Democrat Representative John Garamendi accused Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and President Trump of lying to the American people, calling the Iran war a “war of choice” and a quagmire.
Garamendi piled on the charges, further claiming, “Secretary Hegseth, you have been lying to the American public about this war from day one, and so has the President,” Garamendi said. “You have misled the public about why we are at war. You and the President have offered ever-changing reasons for this war.”
Despite some battlefield successes, Garamendi claimed the broader strategy was “an astounding incompetence” that had left the nation trapped in another Middle East quagmire.
Hegseth quickly fired back, "You stain the troops when you call this a quagmire two months in, handing propaganda to our enemies. Shame on you… Don't say ‘I support the troops’ on one hand, and then a two-month mission is a quagmire. That's a false equivalation [sic]. Who are you cheering for here?"
Hegseth called Garamendi's statement "reckless", and denied Operation Epic Fury is a "quagmire". "Your hatred for President Trump blinds you," Hegseth said.
Hegseth, in responding to Garamendi said, “I know the American people support that mission, despite your loose talk,” and went on to charge that the "biggest adversary we face" was the "defeatist words" of Democrats and some Republicans.
In our view Garamendi’s characterization of Operation Epic Fury as a ‘quagmire’ strains the English language by characterizing the operation as a ‘quagmire’ after only two-months of hostilities, but it does reflect the effectiveness of the Democrat-aligned media narrative that the war to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons has somehow failed.
Despite the fact that confidence in traditional news media has declined to the point that a majority of voters agree with Elon Musk that the media’s credibility is now “zero,” the establishment media’s relentless parroting of Democrat and Iranian regime talking points against Operation Epic Fury seems to be having the desired effect of undermining the public’s confidence in the conduct of the war.
A recent Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey found that only 34% of Likely U.S. Voters give the national news media a good or excellent rating in terms of the accuracy and fairness of their reporting and forty-three percent (43%) rate the media as doing a poor job in terms of accuracy and fairness.
Yet, another Rasmussen Reports survey found that only 42% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the war against Iran has been successful, including 24% who consider it Very Successful. However, 50% think the war has not been successful, including 32% who say it has been Not At All Successful.
While forty-three percent (43%) rate the media as doing a poor job in terms of accuracy and fairness, an even greater number, 50%, seem to believe the narrative undermining confidence in the conduct of the war, and think the war has not been successful, including 32% who say it has been Not At All Successful.
And even more interesting is the fact that the 34% of Likely U.S. Voters who give the national news media a good or excellent rating in terms of the accuracy aligns closely with the 32% of Likely Voters who say Operation Epic Fury has been Not At All Successful, suggesting that if you like the establishment media, you won’t like Operation Epic Fury.
President Donald Trump this week announced an indefinite extension of a ceasefire after negotiations with Iran for a permanent peace deal stalled. While 64% of Republicans view the war against Iran as successful, that opinion is shared by just 25% of Democrats and 36% of voters not affiliated with either major party.
Under President Trump’s proposed peace deal, Iran would give up its stockpile of enriched uranium. Seventy-one percent (71%) would approve of such a peace agreement between the United States and Iran, including 42% who Strongly Approve. Only 16% would not approve of a peace deal in which Iran gives up its uranium stockpile, but 13% are not sure.
A peace deal in which Iran gives up its stockpile of enriched uranium would be at least somewhat approved by 83% of Republicans, 60% of Democrats and 70% of unaffiliated voters.
More men (48%) than women voters (36%) say the war against Iran has been successful. Men are also more likely to think that the price of gasoline will go down because of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The war against Iran is considered at least somewhat successful by 43% of whites, 39% of black voters, 42% of Hispanics and 37% of other minorities. Hispanics are most likely to think that opening the Strait of Hormuz will result in lowering the cost of gasoline in the United States.
Voters under 30 are least likely to say the war against Iran has been successful. Those 50 and older are most likely to Strongly Approve of a peace deal in which Iran gives up its uranium stockpiles.
Among those who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election, Rasmussen found that 72% consider the war against Iran to be successful, but only 13% of Kamala Harris voters agree.
What do you think? Please go to the middle of the CHQ landing page to take our poll and register your opinion.
Garamendi piled on the charges, further claiming, “Secretary Hegseth, you have been lying to the American public about this war from day one, and so has the President,” Garamendi said. “You have misled the public about why we are at war. You and the President have offered ever-changing reasons for this war.”
Despite some battlefield successes, Garamendi claimed the broader strategy was “an astounding incompetence” that had left the nation trapped in another Middle East quagmire.
Hegseth quickly fired back, "You stain the troops when you call this a quagmire two months in, handing propaganda to our enemies. Shame on you… Don't say ‘I support the troops’ on one hand, and then a two-month mission is a quagmire. That's a false equivalation [sic]. Who are you cheering for here?"
Hegseth called Garamendi's statement "reckless", and denied Operation Epic Fury is a "quagmire". "Your hatred for President Trump blinds you," Hegseth said.
Hegseth, in responding to Garamendi said, “I know the American people support that mission, despite your loose talk,” and went on to charge that the "biggest adversary we face" was the "defeatist words" of Democrats and some Republicans.
In our view Garamendi’s characterization of Operation Epic Fury as a ‘quagmire’ strains the English language by characterizing the operation as a ‘quagmire’ after only two-months of hostilities, but it does reflect the effectiveness of the Democrat-aligned media narrative that the war to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons has somehow failed.
Despite the fact that confidence in traditional news media has declined to the point that a majority of voters agree with Elon Musk that the media’s credibility is now “zero,” the establishment media’s relentless parroting of Democrat and Iranian regime talking points against Operation Epic Fury seems to be having the desired effect of undermining the public’s confidence in the conduct of the war.
A recent Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey found that only 34% of Likely U.S. Voters give the national news media a good or excellent rating in terms of the accuracy and fairness of their reporting and forty-three percent (43%) rate the media as doing a poor job in terms of accuracy and fairness.
Yet, another Rasmussen Reports survey found that only 42% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the war against Iran has been successful, including 24% who consider it Very Successful. However, 50% think the war has not been successful, including 32% who say it has been Not At All Successful.
While forty-three percent (43%) rate the media as doing a poor job in terms of accuracy and fairness, an even greater number, 50%, seem to believe the narrative undermining confidence in the conduct of the war, and think the war has not been successful, including 32% who say it has been Not At All Successful.
And even more interesting is the fact that the 34% of Likely U.S. Voters who give the national news media a good or excellent rating in terms of the accuracy aligns closely with the 32% of Likely Voters who say Operation Epic Fury has been Not At All Successful, suggesting that if you like the establishment media, you won’t like Operation Epic Fury.
President Donald Trump this week announced an indefinite extension of a ceasefire after negotiations with Iran for a permanent peace deal stalled. While 64% of Republicans view the war against Iran as successful, that opinion is shared by just 25% of Democrats and 36% of voters not affiliated with either major party.
Under President Trump’s proposed peace deal, Iran would give up its stockpile of enriched uranium. Seventy-one percent (71%) would approve of such a peace agreement between the United States and Iran, including 42% who Strongly Approve. Only 16% would not approve of a peace deal in which Iran gives up its uranium stockpile, but 13% are not sure.
A peace deal in which Iran gives up its stockpile of enriched uranium would be at least somewhat approved by 83% of Republicans, 60% of Democrats and 70% of unaffiliated voters.
More men (48%) than women voters (36%) say the war against Iran has been successful. Men are also more likely to think that the price of gasoline will go down because of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The war against Iran is considered at least somewhat successful by 43% of whites, 39% of black voters, 42% of Hispanics and 37% of other minorities. Hispanics are most likely to think that opening the Strait of Hormuz will result in lowering the cost of gasoline in the United States.
Voters under 30 are least likely to say the war against Iran has been successful. Those 50 and older are most likely to Strongly Approve of a peace deal in which Iran gives up its uranium stockpiles.
Among those who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election, Rasmussen found that 72% consider the war against Iran to be successful, but only 13% of Kamala Harris voters agree.
What do you think? Please go to the middle of the CHQ landing page to take our poll and register your opinion.
