The Independent

Hegseth branded a 'failure' by senator in heated exchange at Iran war funding hearing

Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan, branded Hegseth a "failure" over the Iran war during a heated exchange at a supplemental funding hearing for the Department of Defense on Tuesday (21 July). The Secretary of Defense faced questions about growing costs of the Trump administration’s war in Iran from skeptical senators in his first testimony about the conflict in more than two months. Hegseth is urging senators to approve what he is calling “an urgent, necessary injection” of $67 billion into the U.S. military, adding to a Defense Department budget that is now surging to $1.5 trillion. His latest estimate for the growing costs of the Iran war has now reached $37.5 billion. Not approving that supplemental budget request in the middle of the war “is the greatest threat our nation faces,” according to Hegseth. “Either invest in our warriors … or this is all just talk,” he told the Senate Appropriations Committee. Watch more on Independent TV: https://tinyurl.com/yc7ukx9n The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking newsbrand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-Independent Find us on social: TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@independent Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/the.independent/ X (Twitter) / https://twitter.com/Independent Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/TheIndependentOnline Download the iOS & Android app: https://tinyurl.com/2s3ts5dh Sign up to our newsletters: https://tinyurl.com/2bmw565x Help to support truly independent journalism. Every dollar you contribute will directly fund additional special reports and investigations from a free-thinking, award-winning newsroom you can trust: https://www.independent.co.uk/donations