Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Tuesday defended America’s need for a $67 billion supplemental funding request, revealing that the conflict in Iran has cost $37.5 billion already.
“The inability to properly fund this department, the Department of War, is probably the single greatest threat this country faces,” Hegseth said during a hearing with members of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Hegseth appeared before the senators Tuesday afternoon to review President Donald Trump’s supplemental funding request for the Pentagon and for funding American troops. It was the first time Hegseth appeared for questioning since two service members were killed in Jordan last week following the ending of the ceasefire.
Throughout the hearing, senators took time to honor the fallen and to note that it was their first official hearing since Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a member of the committee, passed away.
As senators questioned Hegseth on America’s actions, the secretary often responded that the answers to their questions were classified.
Neither party has been briefed on military actions in the Middle East since the ceasefire broke earlier this month.
When questioning Hegseth, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., suggested that the reason the administration is having problems getting supplemental funding is because it did not ask Congress before getting into the conflict, which he called the “first strategic mistake.”
Hegseth pushed back on senators’ hesitation to grant the supplemental funding for American troops, noting that the same Senate granted five supplemental funding bills, totaling hundreds of billions of dollars, to Ukrainian troops.
While the Senate is still debating its supplemental funding bill, the House has an emergency funding plan being discussed this week.
The House is voting on a $95 billion “narrow” budget resolution that includes more than $70 billion in emergency funding for the military. House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, told the Daily Signal that Hegseth worked closely with his committee to mark the legislation up, suggesting it is what the military needs.
“I think he’s actually inspired our conference, and some of our toughest members on spending for the military, that it is absolutely imperative,” Arrington said.
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[ H/T The Daily Signal ]
