Pentagon Chief Hegseth Faces Congress on Iran War: Key Takeaways

The Congressional Hearing

United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has faced his first public questioning from Congress on the US-Israel war with Iran.

Over hours of tense testimony alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, Hegseth batted away questions about the long-term goals and timeline of war, which began with the US-Israel launching attacks on Iran on February 28.

$25-billion Price Tag

For the first time, the Pentagon publicly put the price tag of the war so far at $25bn, with Hegseth delivering an at-times caustic defence of US President Donald Trump’s policy. Hegseth also defended the White House’s historic request of a $1.5 trillion defence budget.

Questions Over Iran's Nuclear Programme

It was on the subject of Iran’s nuclear programme that Hegseth faced some of the harshest questioning, with lawmakers grilled the Pentagon chief on the war’s aims.

Representative Adam Smith, a Democrat, seized on Hegseth’s apparently contradicting statements that Iran’s nuclear programme was “obliterated” following the 12-day war with Iran in 2025 and that it presented an imminent threat in the run-up to the most recent war.

Don't Call it a 'Quagmire'

In one of the most heated exchanges of the day, Hegseth bristled when Representative John Garamendi, a Democrat, called the war a “quagmire” and a “political and economic disaster at every level”.

The Pentagon chief accused the lawmaker of “handing propaganda ⁠to our enemies”.

No Quarter for Enemies?

Moulton also asked Hegseth about his past statement that US forces would allow “no quarter, no mercy for our enemies”.

The phrase has historically referred to killing enemy combatants, even if they have surrendered, a war crime under international and humanitarian law.

Caine Appears to Give Higher US Death Toll

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also presented a stout defence of the war during his opening remarks, saying Iran remains “a weaker and less capable than they have been in decades”.

During the statement, Caine referenced 14 members of the US military who had died during the war. To date, the Pentagon has only identified 14 casualties.

Republicans Show Support

While Democrats on the committee pursued a series of pointed questions, Republicans were generally supportive of Hegseth and the war.

That is significant, as Friday will mark 60 days since Trump officially notified Congress of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Under the 1973 War Powers Act, Trump is theoretically required to begin withdrawing troops after 60 days or receive congressional authorisation to keep fighting.