Democratic New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand attempted to pit a U.S. European Command (EUCOM) general against Department of War Secretary Hegseth during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday.
After EUCOM commander Gen. Alexus Grynkewich stated that he was “absolutely committed” to mitigating civilian harm, Gillibrand claimed she was “highly concerned” that Hegseth “does not agree” with him.
“Secretary Hegseth has criticized rules of engagement designed to adhere to the laws of armed conflict and support civilian harm mitigation,” Gillibrand stated. “Secretary Hegseth has also cut the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence by about 90%. Their mission was to help you and to help protect against civilian casualties.”
Hegseth severely cut the center’s workforce in 2025. Some claim the center could have prevented a strike on a school in Iran which the U.S. was reportedly at fault for. (RELATED: REPORT: US Responsible For Strike On Iranian School That Killed Nearly 200)
The senator also referenced Hegseth’s March 2 press briefing in which he stated that Operation Epic Fury was under no “stupid rules of engagement,” later saying, “We fight to win, and we don’t waste time or lives.”
Gillibrand’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. When reached for comment, the Pentagon referred the DCNF to EUCOM. EUCOM in return referred the DCNF to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) which declined to comment.
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Gillibrand asked the general, “So, how do these changes by Secretary Hegseth affect your mission, your judgement, and the responsibility that you take so seriously?”
Grynkewich answered that Hegseth’s changes have not affected his mission, stating that it is “embedded” in U.S. military culture to avoid civilian casualties.
“Senator, they have not affected my ability to prevent civilian harm in any way,” the general stated. “It’s embedded in the targeting process, it’s embedded in the culture of U.S. European Command and, I would say, in the culture of the U.S. military to try to avoid that civilian harm.”
“So, we’re continuing to do the things that we have always done to comply with the law of armed conflict and ensure that we mitigate that risk,” Grynkewich stated.
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 12: U.S. General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) speaks alongside U.S. General Randall Reed, USAF, Commander of the United States Transportation Command (R), during a hearing with the Senate Armed Services committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on March 12, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Gillibrand then asked the general if he “could guess how we could have gotten this wrong on Iran,” claiming that the military “targeted a children’s school.”
Grynkewich said he “would hesitate to speculate” on the situation, stating, “There’s usually a chain of errors or mistakes that happen similar to an aviation accident or some other transportation accident.”
“And I would say we just need to let the investigation play out and find all those factors,” the general added.
The senator later clarified that she meant to ask how the military “chose a target that turned out to be a school,” despite that school being next to an Iranian naval base which she called “an appropriate target.”
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