Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the National Guard and Marine deployments in Los Angeles to quell rioters in a heated exchange with Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., on Tuesday during a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the National Guard and Marine deployments in Los Angeles to quell rioters in a heated exchange with Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., on Tuesday during a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.