Hegseth is facing a new round of questioning from Congress on the Iran war and more

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will appear before House and Senate subcommittees Tuesday to address the Iran war and the Trump administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027. The hearings will focus on the conflict’s prolonged stalemate, which lacks congressional approval despite the 1973 War Powers Act requirements, and the strain on Republicans as fuel prices rise due to Iran’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical shipping route for 20% of the world’s oil. The U.S. and Iran have traded military engagements, with American forces blocking Iranian ports and countering attacks on U.S. warships while disabling Tehran-linked oil tankers. President Donald Trump criticized Iran’s latest ceasefire proposal as weak and reiterated demands for significant limits on its nuclear program, though he suggested suspending the federal gas tax to ease surging fuel costs. Trump has framed higher prices as a necessary trade-off to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Hegseth and Caine will defend their earlier testimony, where Hegseth argued the ceasefire paused a 60-day congressional approval deadline, a claim facing bipartisan skepticism. Republicans like Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sen. Lindsey Graham are expected to support the administration, while moderates such as Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have pressed for clearer war objectives or congressional authorization. The hearings will also examine the proposed defense budget, emphasizing the need for replenishing depleted stocks of drones, warships, and missile defense systems. Lawmakers will assess whether the administration’s strategy aligns with the war’s escalating costs and political fallout, particularly as midterm elections approach and economic pressures mount. Democrats and some Republicans remain critical of the lack of a defined exit strategy, with Collins recently voting to halt the conflict unless a clear plan emerges. Murkowski has warned that without congressional approval, Americans risk remaining unclear about the war’s scope and objectives. The back-to-back sessions mark a shift as new lawmakers take the lead in scrutinizing the administration’s military and fiscal priorities amid a conflict that has drawn down critical defense resources.