Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is testifying before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense to justify President Donald Trump’s $1.5 trillion budget request for the U.S. military.
Lawmakers are questioning Hegseth and General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the massive investment in the Defense Department and the war with Iran, among other topics. Hegseth and Caine appeared before the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense earlier Tuesday.
A protester interrupted the Senate hearing and shouted at lawmakers as Capitol security led her out of the room.
“If you approve this budget, you will be complicit in the war crimes of this administration,” the protester said, adding that the Iranian-American community is opposed to the war.
Jules Hurst, the Pentagon’s acting comptroller, told House lawmakers the Iran war has cost the U.S. $29 billion, up from last month’s estimate of $25 billion. He attributed the increase to “updated repair and replacement of equipment costs” and “general operational costs.”
The budget testimony comes a month after Hegseth gave a combative testimony to the House and Senate Armed Services Committee in which he accused congressional lawmakers of being “the biggest adversary.”
Later Tuesday, FBI Director Kash Patel is expected to testify about the administration’s budget as it pertains to law enforcement.
Protester removed from Senate hearing
Capitol security removed a protester after she interrupted the ongoing Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense hearing.
“If you approve this budget, you will be complicit in the war crimes of this administration,” the protester shouted, adding that the Iranian-American community is opposed to the war.
Senator slams Trump and Hegseth: ‘We have a distracted administration’
Democratic Senator Chris Coons called the Trump administration “distracted” during his opening remarks at the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense hearing.
“I am concerned that we have a distracted administration and a distracted department,” Coons said.
“From your written testimony, Mr. Secretary, it seems at times you’re more passionate about fighting culture wars than winning the real war that we’re in, at banning books, at cleaning alleged DEI off of websites, at taking on an anti-vaccine position rather than continuing the long-standing public health policies, at interfering with promotions,” he added.
Coons also claimed that Trump appears to be “more focused on a billion-dollar ballroom and a victory arch, rather than achieving actual victory.”
Senate hearing begins
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine are now testifying before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense.
The hearing kicked off just moments ago with remarks from Senator Mitch McConnell, the committee’s chairman.
House Democrats mark ‘news phase’ of Epstein probe with Palm Beach hearing
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are holding a field hearing in Palm Beach County, where members will hear from survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse and witnesses in the panel’s ongoing investigation into the dead sex offender and his alleged ties to a wider network of powerful abusers.
The hearing marks a “new phase of our Epstein investigation,” said top Democrat Robert Garcia.
The hearing in Palm Beach is just “miles away” from Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago compound “and key locations where this Epstein investigation has taken us,” Garcia said.
“Florida has been a key place where so many of the horrors and crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell happened,” he said.
House Appropriations subcommittee hearing adjourns
The House Appropriations subcommittee on defense hearing has ended.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine are now expected to testify before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense.
Lawmaker calls efforts to get answer on Iran war cost ‘excruciating’ and ‘long’
Democratic Representative Joseph Morelle said it has been “excruciating” to try and get an answer regarding the cost of the Iran war.
“By my count, 11 weeks, 74 days since hostilities began in Iran, and trying to get a reporting of the dollars that have been spent in this has been excruciating. It’s been long,” Morelle said.
“I think General [George] Washington reported quicker to the Continental Congress than this has been,” he added.
Iran war cost reaches $29 billion
Jules Hurst, the Pentagon’s acting comptroller, told lawmakers the Iran war has cost the U.S. $29 billion so far.
Late last month, the Pentagon said the total cost was an estimated $25 billion.
Hurst attributed the increase to “updated repair and replacement of equipment costs,” along with “general operational costs.”
Hegseth pressed on US-Iran ceasefire
Democratic Representative Pete Aguilar pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, asking how officials know whether or not it’s active.
“As you know, for the most part, a ceasefire means the fire is ceasing, and we know that has occurred while negotiations occur. And there are lots of different discussions with our negotiating team that are happening,” Hegseth said.
Aguilar then asked: “Is the theory to create more ceasefires or more projects just to evade the War Powers Act?”
“The theory of the entire case is to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon. And if that has to be done kinetically and militarily, the Department of War is locked and loaded and ready to do that,” Hegseth replied.
In pictures: Hegseth and Caine testify
Hegseth keeps it calm during opening statement
Hegseth’s opening statement thus far is devoid of the bluster and partisanship that characterized his testimony before the House and Senate Armed Services committees.
That’s likely because he’s been advised that the appropriations subcommittees he is appearing in front of today are responsible for cutting the check that funds his department. He’s not going to walk into their house and bite the hand that feeds him.
Source: independent.co.uk