U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth faced his first public questioning in Congress regarding the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.
After several hours of tense testimony alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Cain, Mr. Hegseth ended questions about the long-term goals and timeline of the war, which began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran.
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Mr. Hegseth has defended President Donald Trump’s policies, sometimes harshly, and the Pentagon has for the first time publicly announced the cost of the war so far at $25 billion. Hegseth also defended the White House’s historic request for a $1.5 trillion defense budget.
He spoke just after the war with Iran ended more than two months. The US has imposed a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and fighting has largely ceased since April 8.
President Trump has repeatedly promised to resume attacks if there is no progress in ceasefire talks, writing on social media early Wednesday that “Mr. Nice Guy is gone.”
Here are some key moments from Hegseth’s hearing.
$25 billion price tag
Jules Hearst III, the Pentagon’s acting inspector general, who spoke alongside Hegseth, publicly set the war’s first official price tag at $25 billion. Hurst said a “large portion” of the price was for munitions, as well as the surge of assets to the Middle East and equipment lost in battle.
In subsequent questioning, Mr. Hegseth did not say whether the figure took into account damage to U.S. military bases in the region or the cost of reburying U.S. weapons stockpiles. US media have reported that the administration is considering asking Congress for an additional $200 billion for the war effort, but no formal request has yet been made.
Hegseth struck a defiant tone about the cost to U.S. taxpayers during an exchange with Democratic Rep. Salud Carvajal.
“What’s the value in ensuring that Iran never has nuclear weapons?” he said.
Questions about Iran’s nuclear development
Hegseth faced the most intense questioning over Iran’s nuclear program, with lawmakers grilling the Pentagon chief about the war’s objectives.
Democratic Rep. Adam Smith seized on Hegseth’s apparently contradictory statement that Iran’s nuclear program would “disappear” after a 12-day war with Iran in 2025, posing an imminent threat toward a recent war.
“You said 60 days ago that we had to start this war because nuclear weapons were an imminent threat. Now you’re saying nuclear weapons are completely gone,” Smith said. “Iran’s nuclear program is exactly what it was before this war began.”
“Their facilities were bombed and destroyed,” Hegseth replied. “Their ambition continues and they are building a traditional shield.”
Don’t call it a “swamp”
In the most heated exchange of the day, Hegseth became enraged when Democratic Rep. John Garamendi called the war a “swamp” and “a political and economic disaster at every level.”
The Pentagon chief accused him of “passing propaganda to the enemy.”
“The biggest challenge we face right now, our biggest enemy, is the reckless, feckless, defeatist rhetoric of Congressional Democrats and some Republicans,” Hegseth said.
Later in the hearing, Congressman Seth Moulton echoed Hegseth and asked, “Do you think Congress was wise or reckless in not asking the Bush administration tough questions and giving it a blank check on Iraq?”
Hegseth, who served as an Army National Guard officer in Iraq, has since criticized military operations and America’s involvement in “endless wars” and “nation-building.”
“That’s a false comparison,” Hegseth replied.
Moulton countered that it was “probably a good idea” for Congress to ask tough questions.
Hegseth also claimed that the Trump administration had “considered all aspects” of the possibility of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian government’s control of key fossil fuel transportation routes proved to be the main leverage in the war.
“No quarter” to the enemy?
Moulton also asked Hegseth about his past statements that the U.S. military “will show no mercy to our enemies.”
The term has historically referred to the killing of enemy combatants, even if they surrender, and is a war crime under international and humanitarian law.
When asked if he supported this statement, Hegseth said: “The Department of the Army is fighting to win, and we are ensuring our warfighters have the rules of engagement they need to operate as effectively as humanely possible.”
In another example, Congressman Ro Khanna asked Hegseth about the deadly US attack on a school in Minab that killed at least 120 children.
“How much did it cost American taxpayers in terms of the attacks on Iranian schools where children were killed, and the missiles we used?” Khanna asked.
“That unfortunate situation is still under investigation,” Hegseth responded. “But we’re not going to put a cost on it.”
At another point, Hegseth was asked about Trump’s threat to “destroy an entire civilization.” Did that indicate he was mentally fit to serve as president, asked Rep. Sarah Jacobs?
Hegseth called President Trump “the most astute and insightful commander in chief of any generation.”
The number of deaths in the United States appears to be increasing due to Kane’s influence.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff staunchly defended the war, saying that Iran remains “weaker and less capable than it has been in recent decades.”
In his statement, Kaine mentioned the 14 U.S. service members who died during the war. To date, the Pentagon has confirmed only 14 casualties. It wasn’t immediately clear what was behind the discrepancy.
Republicans express support
Democrats on the committee pursued a series of pointed questions, but Republicans generally supported Hegseth and the war.
This is significant because Friday marks 60 days since President Trump formally notified Congress of the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran. Under the War Powers Act of 1973, President Trump would theoretically have to begin withdrawing troops in 60 days or receive authorization from Congress to continue fighting.
Republicans control both the House and Senate and have largely indicated they intend to avoid a vote to formally authorize the war. If that happens, the legal basis for the dispute will remain unclear.
Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican who had been skeptical of the war and its high cost, instead praised Hegseth on Wednesday.
She said the Pentagon chief “exceeded all my expectations.”
