Hegseth Faces Congress Over $25bn Iran War Cost — The Pentagon
the pentagon put Pete Hegseth under oath before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, where the US defence secretary faced questions for nearly six hours over the Iran war and its costs. The hearing came while the United States and Iran have a ceasefire to allow for peace talks, but the conflict has not officially ended.
Jules Hurst said American operations had cost the United States $25bn so far, with most of the spending going to munitions and replacing equipment. Hurst also said a full assessment would come later, while the White House has asked Congress to boost the US defence budget to $1.5tn.
House Armed Services Committee hearing
Democratic lawmakers described the US military action in Iran as an expensive war of choice that they said had been waged without the approval of Congress. John Garamendi, a California Democrat and committee member, told Hegseth: "You have been lying to the American public about this war from day one, and so has the president,"
Hegseth pushed back hard. He called Garamendi's statement reckless, denied that Donald Trump was in a quagmire, and told a congressman, "Shame on you." During the hearing, Hegseth also said the "biggest adversary we face" was the "defeatist words" of Democrats and some Republicans.
Jules Hurst on war costs
The spending figure from Hurst gave lawmakers a concrete number to press against as they weighed the war's price against the administration's broader budget request. The hearing also discussed the international economic ramifications of the war, including the rise in global oil prices, bringing the issue beyond battlefield costs and into household and market pressure.
Carlos Gimenez, a Florida congressman and committee member, said he believed Iran was an existential threat to the United States. He added, "When someone tells me for 47 years that they want to kill us, I think I am going to take them at their word," placing his support for the war in the context of a 47-year threat claim rather than a short-term dispute.
Senate hearing on Thursday
Hegseth, Dan Caine and Jules Hurst were scheduled to appear before the equivalent Senate committee on Thursday, extending congressional scrutiny of the war's conduct and cost. That hearing gives senators a fresh chance to question the $25bn figure, the budget request and the ceasefire-backed pause in fighting while the war remains unresolved.
