Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces scrutiny over contradictory claims and high costs of the ongoing war with Iran.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the ongoing war with Iran during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, requesting $67 billion in supplemental funding to sustain the conflict. The administration announced that the war has already cost $37.5 billion, despite earlier claims by Hegseth that the Iranian military had been decimated. Lawmakers questioned the lack of a clear exit strategy and the transparency of the administration's goals. While Hegseth argued that the primary objective is ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, critics noted that the administration previously claimed to have already obliterated Iran's nuclear capacity. Democratic senators highlighted the gap between the administration's early "victory laps" and the current stalemate, noting that the war remains unpopular with many Americans. Hegseth blamed the previous administration for budget neglect while defending the current costs as necessary for rebuilding the military. Meanwhile, President Trump indicated that the war will continue regardless of the upcoming midterm elections, comparing the current 18 combat deaths to the larger losses seen in Vietnam and Iraq.