April 30 (UPI) -- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told a Senate committee it could take "months and years" to replace U.S. munitions used during the war in Iran while being grilled by lawmakers on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Hegseth said that he is aware of concerns about the country's weapons stockpile after nearly two months of war in Iran, with the non-specific time frame being his response about the nearly 50% increase in funding the Department of Defense has requested for fiscal year 2027.
Hours before a Senate war powers act to reign in President Donald Trump and the war he has waged in Iran with Israel, Hegseth suggested that the tenuous cease-fire currently in effect pauses the 60-day clock that presidents can wage war without authorization from Congress.
"Ultimately, I would defer to the White House and White House counsel on that," Hegseth told Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., when asked if the Trump administration would seek congressional authorization for the war, NBC News reported.
"However, we are in a cease-fire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a cease-fire," Hegseth said.
