WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced questions and protests on Tuesday regarding the U.S. military involvement in Iran, which he estimated has cost $37.5 billion to date. This discussion occurred during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing as Republicans prepared a $95 billion funding package for military operations and other White House initiatives. Hegseth provided the updated cost estimate during a contentious session, which followed the Pentagon's announcement of three additional American service member fatalities, raising the total death toll to 17, with over 100 injuries reported since early July. Protests interrupted Hegseth's opening remarks multiple times.
Hegseth described the supplemental war funding as an "urgent, necessary" financial injection, emphasizing the importance of President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget as a significant investment in military capabilities. He stated, "Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls."
Senator Patty Murray, the leading Democrat on the committee, expressed concerns about the potential for an extended conflict, stating, "This war is now spiraling out of control again." She referenced Trump's repeated assertions that a resolution was imminent while questioning the need for an additional $70 billion in funding.
The proposed budget package includes $60 billion for military operations, $12 billion for national security needs, $10 billion for agricultural aid, and $10 billion for voting law changes. The White House urged immediate support for the budget resolution without modifications.
Hegseth's testimony also included inquiries about his leadership, with Senator Susan Collins highlighting issues related to blocked promotions for officers, particularly women and minorities. Senator Jeanne Shaheen questioned the rationale for requesting more funds when nearly half of the previous year's budget had not been utilized. Hegseth indicated that the remaining funds would be spent by September.
The hearing featured tense exchanges, particularly when Senator Kirsten Gillibrand challenged Hegseth on the effectiveness of U.S. military strategy in Iran. Hegseth defended his position, stating, "We’re staying laser-focused on the objective," while Senator Gary Peters criticized the administration’s strategy as a failure. Hegseth attributed opposition to his funding requests to what he termed "Trump Derangement Syndrome" among Democrats.
The Senate is expected to consider another war powers resolution this week, having previously voted multiple times to address the ongoing military engagement in Iran.