Defense Secretary Hegseth faces Senate grilling on Iran war costs and War Powers Act deadline
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced tough questioning from senators Thursday about the Iran war and the looming 60-day War Powers Act deadline, maintaining a ceasefire pauses the clock.
Senate Armed Services Hearing
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was back in the hot seat Thursday, when he faced questions from senators over the ongoing Iran war and President Trump's $1.5 trillion defense budget request a day after similar clashes with House Democrats.
War Powers Act Dispute
On Thursday, Hegseth offered a novel interpretation of law, saying the "60-day clock pauses, or stops" during a pause in fighting. The US and Iran have mostly paused attacks since April 8 ahead of ceasefire talks, which have since stalled. "I don't believe the statute would support that," Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat, responded.
Munitions and Military Readiness
Batting away a key criticism of the war, Hegseth maintained that the US munitions stockpile remained "in good shape". That comes amid a series of reports that indicate it may not be the case. Some lawmakers have charged that depleted munitions have potentially left the US vulnerable in other theatres. The New York Times last week reported that the number of expensive long-range stealth and Patriot interceptor missiles the US has so far used in the war has forced the military to surge weapons and hardware from other regions.