Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was on Capitol Hill on Wednesday for a closed-door meeting with Republicans, trying to sell them on the importance of passing a third reconciliation bill and a supplemental as well to increase the defense budget to approximately $1.5 trillion.The initial defense request calls for roughly $1 trillion in defense spending for fiscal 2027, while the administration is also supporting both a reconciliation package for roughly $350 billion more and an $80 billion supplemental to cover the costs of the Iran war.“We had a really good substantive discussion,” said Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, which hosted the luncheon. “The secretary is pushing very hard for us in Congress to make that investment. We know that this is important.”
Hegseth’s presentation to Republicans in attendance was “very sharp,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) told the Washington Examiner.Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general, said he’s supportive of the reconciliation and supplemental because he believes the United States needs to increase its defense spending.“Right now, we spend 3.2% of our GDP on defense, which is historically very low. You can’t recapitalize your nuclear force, sixth-generation aircraft, and ships, and take care of your troops at 3.2%. So we got to be at least be over 4%, 5% preferably, because that’s what we’re asking our NATO allies to do as well. So I’m generally supportive — I’m mean, I’m not a blank check on this,” he said. “I believe we need $80 billion, first of all, to resupply weapons, so I’m a supporter of that.”U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth walks alongside Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) through the Senate Subway as he arrives to the U.S. Capitol Building on June 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. Hegseth was expected to meet with Senators to discuss military funding. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
