Hegseth Faces Bipartisan Fire Over $29 Billion Iran War Cost and $1.45 Trillion Pentagon Budget
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · May 12
Hegseth Faces Bipartisan Fire Over $29 Billion Iran War Cost and $1.45 Trillion Pentagon Budget
11 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · May 12
$29 billion — the Pentagon’s estimate for the Iran operation so far — became an early flashpoint as lawmakers pressed Pete Hegseth for a supplemental funding request and a timeline he did not provide.
House appropriators from both parties also challenged the legal and strategic footing of the war, with Democrats arguing operations continued past the May 2 authorization deadline and Hegseth saying the military could either escalate or retrograde.
Republicans largely avoided direct attacks on Hegseth but raised separate concerns about pulling 5,000 troops from Germany, leaving $400 million in Ukraine aid unspent, and relying on reconciliation for $350 billion in defense funding.
The hearings are the Pentagon leadership’s last scheduled chance to defend the administration’s record request as a fragile Iran ceasefire strains and support for the war remains uncertain on Capitol Hill.
Amid conflicts in Iran and Ukraine, what is the strategic gain from withdrawing thousands of U.S. troops from Germany?
With missile stockpiles depleted by the Iran war, how will the U.S. deter other global adversaries?