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Defense Secretary Hegseth Testifies on Pentagon Budget
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testified before the House Armed Services Committee on the Pentagon's 2027 budget request. The hearing focused on the ongoing war with Iran, including costs and personnel changes. Lawmakers from both parties questioned Hegseth on war rationale, firings, and future plans.
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U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appeared before the House Armed Services Committee on April 29, 2026, to discuss the Pentagon's proposed $1.5 trillion budget for 2027. The session, originally scheduled for budget details, shifted to debates on the war with Iran, which began in February 2026.
This was Hegseth's first congressional testimony since the conflict started. Hegseth stated in his opening remarks that congressional Democrats and some Republicans were using reckless, feckless, and defeatist words. He is scheduled to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 30, 2026.
The 2027 budget request was finalized before the war and does not include related expenditures.
Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst III testified that the war with Iran has cost $25 billion so far. The Pentagon plans to request $200 billion in supplemental funding for the campaign. Hurst attributed much of the cost to thousands of bombs and missiles used in the conflict.
An analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies indicated that the U.S. has used roughly half of certain missiles and other munitions in less than two months. Retired Col. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the center and author of the report, stated that the operation creates a window of vulnerability for up to four years while stocks are replenished.
Lawmakers questioned Hegseth on the firings of high-ranking officials, including former Army chief of staff Gen. Randy George and former Navy Secretary John Phelan. Reps. Don Bacon and Austin Scott, both Republicans, expressed disagreement with George's firing.
