Ten Democratic lawmakers have accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of defunding and impeding efforts to protect civilians during military operations, citing a leadership failure that they claim imperils U.S. service members and violates federal law. In a joint letter sent Sunday, the lawmakers asserted that the gutting of the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (CHMR) framework erodes the military’s moral standing and removes critical guardrails intended to prevent noncombatant deaths.
The accusations follow a Defense Department inspector general report that described civilian protection efforts as largely “inactive.” The lawmakers, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are demanding answers to 20 specific questions by July 9, including current staffing and funding levels for the CHMR mission and an explanation for the department’s lack of cooperation with the inspector general’s inquiry.
A Pentagon spokesperson declined to provide specific answers to these inquiries, stating that the Department will respond directly to the authors of the congressional correspondence.
How the CHMR Program Was Reduced Under Pete Hegseth
The Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (CHMR) framework was established via a 2022 congressional mandate to create a specialized Civilian Protection Center of Excellence. The program’s primary objective was to embed prevention specialists within targeting teams to ensure military operations adhered to U.S. law and international rules of war. According to current and former personnel, the mission was slashed by approximately 90% by the time of a February strike in Iran, leaving only a handful of staffers to monitor civilian harm as the strike tempo increased across Africa and the Middle East.
Staffers reported that the Defense Department began scrapping the CHMR mission in the spring of 2025, characterizing the protections as being out of step with Hegseth’s “lethality” doctrine. Hegseth has repeatedly expressed disdain for what he describes as hindrances to combat forces. This shift toward “more aggression, less accountability” was noted by national security officials interviewed by ProPublica in March.
The impact of these reductions is highlighted by “insurgent math,” a term used by retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who commanded U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. McChrystal’s theory posits that for every innocent person killed, at least 10 new enemies are created.
What Caused the Surge in Civilian Casualties?
Conflict monitoring groups have recorded a surge in reports of civilian casualties, most notably in Somalia and Yemen, which have both seen a dramatic increase in U.S. strikes under the second Trump administration. The most high-profile incident occurred in February during the first day of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, where a strike killed dozens of children and teachers at the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab. The school was located adjacent to an Iranian military compound.
Open-source investigative outlets surfaced video suggesting a U.S.-made Tomahawk missile was responsible for the school strike. The Washington Post reported, citing officials familiar with the inquiry, that the school appeared on a U.S. target list and may have been mistaken for a military site. Hegseth stated in March that the command investigation would take as long as necessary to address the incident, though the administration has yet to explain what happened nearly five months later.
Annie Shiel, U.S. director of the Center for Civilians in Conflict, stated that the department is violating U.S. laws and policies derived from previous wars. Shiel emphasized that congressional support is critical while the CHMR mission remains in limbo.
The Conflict Between ‘Lethality’ and Legal Mandates
The current tension reflects a historical cycle where the Pentagon implements reforms following catastrophic civilian deaths, only for oversight to slip over time. The 2022 action plan was a direct response to a 2021 missile strike in Kabul during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which killed an aid worker and nine relatives, including seven children. Then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin apologized for the mistake, leading to the bipartisan effort to make civilian protection a year-round mission.
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., challenged Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll during a May hearing, stating, “You are in violation of the law right now on civilian harm.” Smith questioned why the department believed it was acceptable to ignore laws passed by Congress.
This friction is part of a broader overhaul of the Department of Defense, which the Trump administration refers to as the “Department of War.” Hegseth has faced bipartisan criticism for the sweeping termination of high-ranking officers. Critics allege these moves are rooted in political vengeance, racism and bias against women, while Hegseth maintains he is removing “woke” perspectives to restore military culture. He recently fired Gen. Chris Donahue, a four-star commander who had previously dismissed concerns about “wokeness” as “BS” in 2023.
The lawmakers signing the letter to Hegseth include military veterans Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado. They argue that military adventurism combined with a disregard for civilians does not make the American people or service members safer.
The Department of Defense is expected to respond to the lawmakers’ 20 questions by the July 9 deadline.