Skeptical Democrats confronted Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday (April 29, 2026) for the first time since the Trump administration went to war with Iran, touching off tense exchanges over a costly conflict with unclear objectives that has been waged without congressional approval.
The hearing before the House Armed Services Committee was focused on the administration's 2027 military budget proposal, which would boost defence spending to a historic $1.5 trillion. Mr. Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, stressed the need for more drones, missile defence systems and warships.
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Democrats quickly pivoted to the ballooning costs of the war, the huge drawdown of critical U.S. munitions and the bombing of a school that killed children. Some lawmakers also questioned Mr. Trump's dealings with allies and President Donald Trump's shifting justification for the conflict.
In one tense exchange, Mr. Hegseth told Democratic Rep. Adam Smith that Iran's nuclear facilities were obliterated in a 2025 attack by the U.S., prompting Mr. Smith to question the Trump administration's reasoning for starting the Iran war.
