During a two-day hearing this week, top U.S. military officials faced sharp questioning on various contentious issues including the Iran conflict, personnel decisions, and a record $1.5 trillion defense budget for next year. This marked the first public hearing appearance by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine since the outbreak of the Iran war on February 28.
On Wednesday, Secretary Hegseth and Gen. Caine testified before the House and Senate Armed Services Committees respectively. The Pentagon is seeking congressional support for the historic $1.5 trillion military and defense budget for the fiscal year 2027.
The House hearing lasted approximately 6 hours, while the Senate hearing the following day continued for 3 hours.
During both hearings, Democratic lawmakers clashed fiercely with Secretary Hegseth. Republicans largely praised the Trump administration’s handling of the Iran conflict and supported its military funding requests.
Here are the four key points from the two days of hearings.
In his opening statements at both hearings, Secretary Hegseth stated that significant progress had been made by the U.S. military in the weeks following the start of the war with Iran. He then criticized some lawmakers, primarily Democrats, for expressing skepticism about the recent military actions in the Middle East.
He said: “Currently, our biggest opponent is the reckless, weak, and defeatist rhetoric of congressional Democrats and some Republicans.”
During the first day’s hearing, Democratic Representatives Pat Ryan from New York and Chris Deluzio from Pennsylvania raised questions about whether the U.S. troops stationed at Shuaiba Port in Kuwait had sufficient protection when the conflict erupted. On March 1, an Iranian drone struck the port facilities, resulting in the deaths of 6 American soldiers and injuries to dozens.
Several Democratic lawmakers described the conflict as costly and unpopular domestically. California Democratic Representative John Garamendi characterized the war as plunging the U.S. into a “quagmire.”
“This war of choice is a political and economic disaster on all fronts,” Garamendi stated. “Despite promises of lowering costs of living, gas prices have risen by 40%, and inflation is on the rise.”
Secretary Hegseth retaliated, suggesting that Garamendi’s statements were akin to “providing propaganda capital to the enemy.”
Hegseth said: “To label it as a ‘quagmire’ just two months into the war is shameful.”
Furthermore, Democratic members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees questioned the first-day U.S. military airstrike on an Iranian school. Secretary Hegseth responded that the military was currently investigating the airstrike incident.
During the hearing the following day, Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth from Illinois pointed out that the Trump administration had underestimated the threat posed by small attack fast boats of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) despite touting successes in sinking Iran’s regular fleet.
Duckworth noted: “Iran has long invested in this second asymmetric navy, focusing on developing operational capabilities that make traditional U.S. forces difficult to target.”
In addition to questioning the overall progress of the Trump administration in the Iran conflict, Democrats also raised concerns about the costs of the military operation.
At the first-day hearing, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst stated that “Operation Epic Fury” had cost approximately $25 billion in the initial two months of the war.
Hurst explained that while most expenses were for ammunition, the figure also included operations and maintenance costs, as well as replacement costs for damaged assets.
During the second-day hearing, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut argued that the $25 billion figure was “far below the actual costs” and indicated that more detailed information would be requested.
Blumenthal said: “I will request the military to provide a more accurate assessment report.”
The Epoch Times has sought comment from the office of the Pentagon Comptroller regarding the detailed expenditure breakdown of the Iran conflict, but a spokesperson for the office did not provide the specifics.
In March, Secretary Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon was seeking approximately $200 billion in additional funding to cover the costs of the Iran military operations, acknowledging that this expenditure amount “may be subject to adjustment.”
While the Trump administration has begun outlining its $1.5 trillion military budget for 2027, there has not yet been a separate funding request specifically for the costs of this war.
Hurst mentioned that the government would propose related measures after a comprehensive assessment of the conflict costs; as the conflict remains unresolved and negotiations are ongoing, the fighting has been in a paused state for the past three weeks.
Democratic ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, Representative Adam Smith from Washington, expressed concerns about the size of the 2027 military budget request, noting that the U.S. national debt is close to $40 trillion.
Smith stated in his opening remarks during the first-day hearing: “Another major concern is that the Pentagon has yet to pass an audit. If we increase the budget by about 50% to 60%, can this funding be effectively utilized? We have every reason to be skeptical.”
Secretary Hegseth responded that the 2027 budget request aims to continue driving relevant plans to “reverse the underinvestment and mismanagement of the Biden administration over the past four years.”
Before the congressional hearings this week, Secretary Hegseth released a video statement acknowledging the Pentagon’s past failures in financial accounting, describing it as a “complete disaster,” and stating that reforms would be implemented to strive for an audit by 2028.
One of the focal points of this year’s budget request is to increase shipbuilding funding to advance President Trump’s “Golden Fleet” initiative. Trump initiated the shipbuilding proposal in December 2025, planning to introduce a brand-new class of battleships named after him, as well as a new class of escort vessels.
Democratic Representative Jared Golden from Maine pointed out recent setbacks in other shipbuilding projects and expressed concerns that this budget request was rushing to design new classes of warships while underfunding verified vessels like the Burke-class missile destroyers.
Golden said: “I sincerely hope that you, the Navy, and Congress can take a step back on this battleship plan. Take the time to do it right, whatever form it ultimately takes. For now, focus on the mainstay vessels you can rely on.”
Independent Senator Angus King from Maine questioned the absence of funds related to Ukraine in the 2027 budget request.
Secretary Hegseth explained that the budget did not allocate funds for Ukraine aid, reflecting the Trump administration’s policy of shifting conflict burdens to Europe.
Hegseth said: “We hope that Europe will step up and shoulder this responsibility.”
Retired Navy SEAL and Republican Senator Tim Sheehy from Montana advocated for more funding for special operations forces. Secretary Hegseth stated that future allocations for relevant funds might be distributed through additional appropriations.
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers praised the leadership of General Randy George. George served as the U.S. Army Chief of Staff until stepping down in early April.
Republican Representative Austin Scott from Georgia stated during the first-day hearing: “Secretary Hegseth, I respect you. But I must inform you that I do not agree with the decision to replace General George.”
Scott highlighted General George’s success in reversing the Army’s most severe “recruitment crisis” since the Vietnam War.
Republican Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa also expressed regret over the dismissal of General George and disappointment with the earlier removal of General James Mingus, the former Army Deputy Chief of Staff.
When asked by Democratic Representative Derek Tran from California if he had consulted with President Trump about replacing General George, Secretary Hegseth responded: “I will not disclose specific details of the conversation, but he (Trump) was informed of the upcoming actions.”
Democratic ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed from Rhode Island, was one of the lawmakers who questioned the reasons for General George’s dismissal.
Secretary Hegseth stated that out of respect for General George and other forced-out officers, he would not disclose the specific details that led to the decision. He emphasized that the current focus is on reshaping the culture of the U.S. military.
Hegseth said: “If you want to change a department and its culture but still appoint people from within that department to lead, it will ultimately be a daunting task.”
In summary, the Pentagon leaders’ testimonies before Congress highlighted the complexities and controversies surrounding the Iran conflict, military funding requests, personnel decisions, and the overall direction of U.S. defense policy. The hearings provided a platform for robust debate and scrutiny over critical national security matters, underscoring the challenges and responsibilities faced by the U.S. government in navigating global conflicts and shaping its military strategy for the future.