Watch CBS News

Indiana Congresswoman Victoria Spartz faces backlash at town hall for defending Musk, Hegseth

Republican Indiana Congresswoman Victoria Spartz faced angry crowds at a town hall meeting Friday night for refusing to call on top Trump administration officials to resign over the Signal group chat leak, and for defending the White House's sweeping cuts to federal agencies.

Spartz was repeatedly drowned out by jeers from some of the 500 people who packed a conference center outside of Indianapolis.

During the meeting, Spartz refused to call for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth or National Security Advisor Michael Waltz to resign after they inadvertently included a journalist in a Signal group chat on plans for a military strike on Houthi targets in Yemen.

"No, I will not demand their resignations," Spartz said. 

She also defended billionaire Elon Musk's work with the Trump administration to slash the federal workforce and dismantle some government agencies.

Many of her constituents were upset Congress isn't focusing on the economy and lowering prices. Others want to see lawmakers push back on the Trump administration's efforts to test the limits of Congressional powers.

Spartz said it will be up to the Supreme Court to decide if the Trump administration has overstepped its authority, and blamed the anger on what she called the "radical left."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue