Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defends the administration's $87.6 billion supplemental funding request during a Senate hearing on the ongoing Iran war.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the Senate to justify a supplemental funding request of $87.6 billion, which includes $67 billion specifically for the ongoing war against Iran. During the hearing, Hegseth revealed that the conflict has already incurred costs of $37.5 billion. While the administration announced the request, critics questioned the lack of a clear exit strategy or specific metrics for success. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff challenged Hegseth on the accuracy of previous claims regarding Iran's military status, while Senator Kirsten Gillibrand noted that the war remains unpopular among voters facing rising domestic costs. In response, Hegseth emphasized that preventing a nuclear Iran is a long-run cost-saving measure. Meanwhile, President Trump noted that the 18 American combat deaths in the conflict are relatively low compared to historical wars like Vietnam. Although the administration is not currently setting a timeline for the end of the conflict, most Republicans supported the funding request to ensure continued military operations.