As Congress pressures Pentagon over Iran war costs, Hegseth pushes for Trump’s $1.5 trillion 2027 defense budget

U.S. Secretary of Defense Peter Heggs The U.S. defense secretary defended President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion military budget before lawmakers in the House and Senate on Tuesday as Congress pressures the Pentagon over the rising costs of the war with Iran, weapons stockpiles and the administration’s long-term strategy in the conflict.The hearing comes as the Trump administration faces growing economic pressure from Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is an important shipping corridor through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil normally flows.Hegseth told lawmakers that the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite the recent exchange of fire. Appearing before Congress after his Senate testimony, one Democrat warned, “You have had a series of tactical successes but are on the verge of strategic failure.”While Hegseth struck a more conciliatory tone at the hearing than in previous hearings, lawmakers from both parties expressed concerns about the war’s expanding costs and its impact on military readiness.Pentagon officials told Congress that the cost of the war with Iran has now climbed to nearly $29 billion, up from a $25 billion estimate provided nearly two weeks ago. Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst said about $24 billion of that amount was used to replace ammunition and repair equipment, with the remainder covering operating expenses for deployed troops. The estimate does not include the cost of repairing or rebuilding damaged U.S. military bases in the area.Lawmakers also questioned whether the conflict had strained U.S. arms supplies, a suggestion Hegseth rejected.At the same time, Heggs acknowledged that the government was taking action to increase weapons production to support the conflict and prepare for future military operations.The government’s proposed 2027 defense budget includes $750 billion for the Golden Dome missile defense system, $102 billion for aircraft procurement and research and development, nearly $75 billion for drones and counter-drone technology, and $65 billion for the construction of 18 naval warships and 16 support ships.In January, Trump said he wanted to increase the U.S. military budget by half next year to $1.5 trillion.Trump said on “Truth Social”: “I have decided that in the interest of our country, especially during this very difficult and dangerous time, our military budget for 2027 should not be $1 trillion, but $1.5 trillion.”“This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Army’ we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, will allow us to remain safe no matter the enemy,” the president said.Trump said the increase would be supported by revenue generated from tariffs imposed since he returned to office.The administration plans to allocate about $1.1 trillion to defense through the regular appropriations process and expects to allocate another $350 billion through budget reconciliation, which will allow Republicans to pass measures without Democratic support.The proposal comes as the United States faces an annual deficit of nearly $2 trillion and a national debt of more than $39 trillion.