Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced sharp questions from Democrats on Wednesday over the Trump administration’s war in Iran, including its cost, legal authority, and personnel decisions, during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the 2027 military budget.
The war had cost $25 billion so far, according to Pentagon figures presented during the hearing. The administration’s budget proposal would raise defense spending to $1.5 trillion.
Democrats focused on the war’s costs, the use of U.S. munitions, a school bombing that killed children, and President Donald Trump’s shifting rationale for the conflict. Republicans largely backed the administration and focused on budget issues.
Hegseth called criticism of the war political. “The biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans,” he said.
Rep. Adam Smith, the committee’s top Democrat, pressed Hegseth on his statement that Iran’s nuclear facilities were “obliterated” in a 2025 U.S. attack, questioning why the administration later said war was necessary because of an imminent nuclear threat.
“We had to start this war, you just said 60 days ago, because the nuclear weapon was an imminent threat,” Smith said. “Now you’re saying that it was completely obliterated?”
Hegseth said Iran “had not given up their nuclear ambitions” and still had thousands of missiles. Smith replied that the war “left us at exactly the same place we were before.”
Democrats also criticized Hegseth’s management of the war and its economic effects, including higher gasoline prices. “Secretary Hegseth, you have been lying to the American public about this war from day one and so has the president,” Rep. John Garamendi of California said.
A ceasefire is in place. House and Senate Democrats failed to pass war powers resolutions that would have required Trump to halt the conflict unless Congress authorized further action.
Lawmakers also questioned Hegseth about removing senior military officers, including Army Gen. Randy George. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan said George was widely respected and asked why he was fired. Hegseth replied, “We needed new leadership.”
Hegseth also removed Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Gen. Jim Slife, while Trump fired Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr. Hegseth said the moves were part of an effort to rebuild a “warrior culture” at the Pentagon.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace defended Hegseth’s staffing decisions and later praised his handling of the war, saying, “Everything I have seen, you have surpassed all of my expectations.”
