Hegseth testifies on Iran war before Senate committee: Key takeaways
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 30, 2026, marking their second day of public Congressional hearings since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28.
The story so far
- Apr 29
- Apr 30
How outlets cover it
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Open questions and key claims
Hegseth testified that the Pentagon's budget for the war on Iran is necessary to protect American interests and deter Iranian aggression.
The Pentagon is considering asking Congress for an additional $200 billion to support the war effort.
President Trump has repeatedly promised to resume attacks if no progress is made on stalled ceasefire talks.
The estimated cost for the US is $25bn and counting, mostly from munitions and including operations, maintenance and replacing equipment.
The president has gotten himself and America stuck in a quagmire of another war in the Middle East.
The president stands prepared to keep Iran under a naval blockade until a deal is reached, raising the prospect of a prolonged conflict.
Who and where
Related stories over time
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- Mar 10 earlierU.S. Showers Iran With Bombs in Most Intense Strikes of the War, Pentagon Says8 articles · 5 outlets
- Mar 31 earlier‘Get your own oil’: Trump launches tirade against Europe for not joining Iran war3 articles · 3 outlets
- Apr 5 – Apr 8 earlierHegseth touts US ‘victory’ over Iran as Tehran hails its own ‘historic’ win24 articles · 6 outlets
- Apr 29 – Apr 30◆ This story
- Oct 23 – Oct 24 later