12:30pm EDT

I'm Ed Donahue with an AP News Minute.

Skeptical Democrats confronted defense secretary Pete Hexeth for the first time since

the Trump administration went to war with Iran.

There were tense moments between Hexeth and members of the House Armed Services Committee.

The biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless,

feckless, and defeatest words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans.

Adam Smith is the ranking Democrat on the committee.

The operation midnight had a weakest moment, nothing of substance, and let us see the exact

point.

Hexeth dismissed criticism of the war as political.

We had to start this war, you just said, 60 days ago, because the nuclear weapon was

an imminent threat.

Now you're saying that it was completely obliterated?

It had not given up their nuclear ambitions.

Democrats accused Hexeth of mismanaging the war and lying to Americans about the reasons

to start it.

I'm Ed Donahue.