Hegseth defends the principle of the Iran war, the cost of the first evidence since it began

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in his first appearance before Congress since the start of the Iran war, downplayed the length of the war and said the biggest “enemy” the US is facing at this point in the war is “the indifferent, senseless and defeated words of the Democratic Congress and some Republicans.”

“Two months ago, in the current fight for the security of the American people, Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, we are proud of this action,” Hegseth said in his opening statement before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump, at the start of the war, said the conflict would end within weeks.

Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine testified on the Pentagon’s budget for fiscal year 2027 and took legal questions for the first time since the war against Iran began two months ago.

The war has now dragged on for more than a second month and has caused economic disruption around the world as Iran has suspended shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began.

Armed Services Committee ranking member Adam Smith, D-Wash., also questioned Pentagon chief Jules Hurst about the cost of the war, which has not yet been fully released publicly. The administration has yet to send Congress a request to spend more money to finance the war.

Hurst, who also testified, said the cost of the war has been estimated at $25 billion so far, mostly in weapons. Hurst said the Pentagon will submit a request for an extension once it has fully considered the cost of the conflict.

Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought in congressional testimony on April 15 refused to estimate the cost of the war. Vought spoke to the House Budget Committee shortly after a Harvard University analyst found that the war could cost taxpayers $1 trillion.

The US military has been under fire during the conflict, which Congress will need to provide funding to replenish. The Pentagon is also asking for a massive $1.5 trillion budget for 2027, which lawmakers are expected to scrutinize.

The hearings allow Democrats, who are fiercely opposed to the war, to publicly question Hegseth and the administration about their plans and the cost of the war. The secretary answered questions from Democrats in opposition, often interrupting their lines of inquiry.

Smith in his opening statement said that while the “professionalism of our military is evident,” the administration has not met its strategic goals and questioned whether the administration has a plan to overcome the conflict.

“As we sit here today, Iran’s nuclear program is exactly the same as it was before this war started,” he said. “They have not lost their ability to inflict pain, they still have a ballistic missile program, they are still able to block the Strait of Hormuz and they have ships that can do that. What is the strategy to make that change?”

Pressed by Smith on a strategy to reduce Iran’s nuclear threat, Hegseth said Iran’s nuclear facilities have been “destroyed,” a line he has used regularly for weeks, and that U.S. action was needed to destroy the “common shield” to protect Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Hegseth said the goal is to “get them to a place where they sit at the table,” and give up their nuclear ambitions.

“They’re not broken,” Smith said.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., asked Hegseth about the economic costs borne by Americans since the Iran war.

Since the start of the war, oil prices have risen all over the world. That caused fuel prices to rise in the US Energy prices fell to other parts of the economy, such as food and transportation.

Dirty US on Wednesday it hit $106 per barrel. The world benchmark Brent rose to $118 per barrel.

Hegseth was surprised by the question, responding that “I’d just ask you what the cost of an Iranian nuclear bomb is,” and accused Khanna of “playing gotcha questions about domestic matters.”

Pressed by Khanna, Hegseth said the Trump administration “has an amazing economic team that is handling this better than previous administrations have done with our economy.”

Khanna then insults Hegseth, saying that he does not know the cost of war.

“You didn’t do an analysis of how much it costs Americans,” Khanna said. “You don’t even know what the average American pays.”

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.