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US defense chief faces Senate fury over $87.6bn war funding request

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended a $87.6 billion supplemental funding request before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
  • Lawmakers expressed anger over the war's escalating costs and questioned the accuracy of previous cost estimates.
  • The Pentagon is reportedly running low on funds to sustain the conflict, which has resulted in 17 US soldier deaths since February.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced a grilling from senators Tuesday over the Trump administration's $87.6 billion supplemental funding request for the war in Iran. Lawmakers on the Senate Appropriations Committee, led by Chair Susan Collins, expressed fury over the escalating costs of the conflict, which they claim far exceed White House admissions. Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the joint chiefs, appeared before the committee as the Pentagon signaled it was running low on funds to continue operations.

the public wants the war brought to a swift, strategic close rather than tens of billions more spent to sustain it

— Patty MurrayDemocratic vice-chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, regarding public sentiment on the war.

This was the first significant public questioning for Hegseth and Caine since a fragile ceasefire collapsed and the war intensified. The conflict has claimed the lives of at least 19 US soldiers since February, with nearly 100 wounded, though most injuries are reported as minor. Democratic Vice-Chair Patty Murray is expected to argue for a swift, strategic end to the war, opposing further billions spent on its sustainment. Democrats also plan to criticize Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, for previously estimating the war's cost at around $30 billion, a figure widely considered a severe undercount by experts.

the war’s running cost was about $30bn

— Russell VoughtDirector of the Office of Management and Budget, in a previous statement to Congress, a figure believed to be a significant undercount.

Potential challenges also emerged from within Hegseth's own party. Prominent Republicans Collins and Lisa Murkowski have supported war-powers resolutions to limit the president's authority over the conflict. Collins has voiced repeated frustration with the administration's seemingly shifting war strategy. Meanwhile, House representatives have accused the Pentagon of withholding basic figures, with Rep. Betty McCollum, top Democrat on the House defense appropriations panel, noting the department missed a deadline to detail war costs and failed to disclose the number of precision munitions remaining after extensive use in Iran.

the department has missed a deadline to detail war costs and has not disclosed how many precision munitions remain after the military burned through thousands of them in Iran

— Betty McCollumTop Democrat on the House defense appropriations panel, accusing the Pentagon of stonewalling on figures.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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