Sceptical Democrats have confronted US defence secretary Pete Hegseth for the first time since the Trump administration went to war with Iran, bringing tense exchanges over a costly conflict that has been waged without congressional approval.
The hearing before the House Armed Services Committee was being held to discuss the administration’s 2027 military budget proposal, which would boost defence spending to a historic 1.5 trillion dollars.
Mr Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, are expected to stress the need for more drones, missile defence systems and warships.
Democrats quickly pivoted to the ballooning costs of the war, the huge drawdown of critical US munitions and the bombing of a school that killed children.
Some politicians also questioned Mr Trump’s dealings with allies and US President Donald Trump’s shifting justification for the conflict.
In one tense exchange, Mr Hegseth told Democratic representative Adam Smith that Iran’s nuclear facilities were obliterated in a 2025 attack by the US, prompting Mr Smith to question the Trump administration’s reasoning for starting the Iran war.
“We had to start this war, you just said 60 days ago, because the nuclear weapon was an imminent threat,” Mr Smith, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said.
“Now you’re saying that it was completely obliterated?”
Mr Hegseth responded by saying that Iran “had not given up their nuclear ambitions” and still had thousands of missiles.
Mr Smith said the war “left us at exactly the same place we were before”.
In his opening statement to the committee, Mr Hegseth said dubious Democrats — and some Republican politicians — were one of the biggest problems facing America’s military operations.
“The biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans,” Mr Hegseth said.
The war has cost 25 billion US dollars so far, the chief financial official for the Pentagon told politicians.
Jules Hurst III, the acting undersecretary of war for finances, said most of that money was spent on munitions. The military had also spent money on running the operations and replacing equipment.
While a fragile ceasefire is now in place, the US and Israel launched the war on February 28 without congressional oversight.
House and Senate Democrats have failed to pass multiple war power resolutions that would have required Mr Trump to halt the conflict until Congress authorises further action.
Republicans say they will keep faith in Mr Trump’s wartime leadership, for now, citing Iran’s nuclear programme, the potential for talks to resume and the high stakes of withdrawal.
Still, Republican politicians are eager for the conflict to end, and some are eyeing future votes that could become an important test for the president if the war drags on.
We don’t have enough munitions, ships, aircraft or autonomous systems to ensure dominance against every adversary
Republican representative Mike Rogers, chairman of the committee, opened Wednesday’s hearing by focusing on Mr Trump’s call to increase military spending.
He pointed to recent increases in defence spending by China, Russia and Iran.
“We don’t have enough munitions, ships, aircraft or autonomous systems to ensure dominance against every adversary,” Mr Rogers said.
“They are spending more of their GDP on defence than we are.”
Iran’s closing of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor for the world’s oil, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and posed problems for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.
The US has responded with a navy blockade of Iranian shipping and further built up its military forces in the region.
Three American aircraft carriers are in the Middle East for the first time in more than 20 years.
The countries appear locked in a stalemate, with Mr Trump unlikely to accept Tehran’s latest offer to reopen the strait if the US ends the war, lifts its sea blockade and postpones nuclear talks.
Mr Hegseth has avoided public questioning from politicians about the war, although he and Gen Caine have held televised Pentagon briefings.
Mr Hegseth has mostly taken questions from conservative journalists, while citing Bible passages to castigate mainstream outlets.
