- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated the U.S. military would give "no quarter, no mercy" in its war in Iran, alarming Democratic lawmakers.
- The term "no quarter" legally means killing enemy combatants rather than taking them prisoner, a practice explicitly prohibited by the Geneva Conventions.
- Democratic lawmakers, including Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin, and Representatives Chrissy Houlahan and Maggie Goodlander, condemned Hegseth's remarks as potentially illegal and irresponsible.
- Representative Houlahan called Hegseth's operating in such a manner a "war crime," while Senator Kelly sent a letter seeking clarification on whether this represents a new Department of Defense policy.
- These lawmakers previously warned that U.S. military service members can refuse illegal orders, a stance that drew strong criticism from Donald Trump.
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