Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the escalating cost of the Iran war as Pentagon officials confirmed American taxpayers have funded at least $25 billion in operations so far. He appeared before the House Armed Services Committee for a hearing and rejected claims that the conflict has become a “quagmire,” instead attacking congressional critics as the real threat to the war effort.
Pete Hegseth talks about Iran war cost during hearing
Jules Hurst III, the Pentagon’s top financial official, told lawmakers the $25 billion estimate covers munitions, operations, maintenance, and equipment replacement, with expenses still climbing. The hearing stretched for hours as Hegseth and Gen Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs, faced questions about a war now two months old, well past the four-to-six-week timeline Donald Trump initially predicted.
Hegseth asked lawmakers to approve $1.5 trillion in military spending and then lashed out at them. “The biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless, and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans,” he stated. Committee chair Mike Rogers, a Republican, backed the administration’s above request, arguing that adversaries devote a larger share of GDP to defense. Hegseth pointed to a 7% pay increase for lower enlisted troops included in the proposal.
Ranking Democrat Adam Smith took a different stance, questioning whether a spending jump of 50 to 60% would see responsible management. He also noted the administration fights the Iran war without allied support. “We’re doing this on our own, as we increasingly push away all our allies, sometimes just gratuitously insulting them,” Smith said, referencing Trump’s remarks about French President Macron and his wife while asking NATO for help.
Furthermore, California Democrat John Garamendi accused the administration of staggering incompetence and declared Donald Trump had trapped America in another Middle Eastern quagmire. Hegseth responded furiously, asking Garamendi who he was cheering for. He called the congressman’s words propaganda for the enemy and said hatred of Trump blinded him to the mission’s success.
For now, Hegseth and Caine head to the Senate on Thursday (via The Guardian).
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.com.
