WASHINGTON, D.C. – A Pentagon official testified in the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday that the war in Iran has cost US taxpayers 25-billion dollars. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was in the hot seat in the committee, taking questions from members about the war since it began nearly two months ago.
Even in opening remarks, the hearing was set to be a heated one.
“The biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless, and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans,” said Sec. Hegseth.
The hearing was scheduled to focus on the Department’s nearly $1.45-trillion dollar budget request, which is a roughly 45 percent increase from FY2026, making it an all time high.
Most of the questioning revolved around the war in Iran. We got a better idea of how much this war has cost US taxpayers so far:
“So approximately on this day we have spent 25 billion dollars on Operation Epic Fury,” said Jules Hurst, III, the Pentagon’s Chief of Finance.
The Secretary refused to say how much longer the war will continue and how much more it will cost taxpayers.
“As you know and as the president has stated, you would never tell your adversary, especially once you’ve decimated their military and you control their strait,” responded the Secretary.
Democrats pressed the Secretary over the administration’s objectives for the war, even sparring over the purpose of the war and Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“So they haven’t broken yet,” asked Rep. Adam Smith (D- WA).
“Well, their nuclear facilities have been obliterated, they’re underground, they’re buried – so we know where any nuclear material may be –”
“Woah, woah,” responded Rep. Smith. “We had to start this war, you just said 60 days ago because the nuclear weapon was an imminent threat. Now you’re saying its completely obliterated?”
“They have not given up their nuclear ambitions, and they had a conventional shield of thousands of weapons,” responded Sec. Hegseth.
“So, Operation Midnight Hammer accomplished nothing of substance,” said Rep. Smith. “We’re exactly in the same place as we were before?”
