Where did the money go?’ US senators grill Pete Hegseth as Iran war cost hits ₹3.62 trillion

osts Surge Theindiapostdaily.com – Where did the money go US senators asked as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that the financial toll of the

Senate Questions Pentagon Spending as Iran War Costs Surge

Theindiapostdaily.com – Where did the money go US senators asked as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed that the financial toll of the conflict with Iran has reached $37.5 billion. This represents a significant $8.5 billion increase from the nearly $29 billion figure he presented to Congress in May. During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Hegseth confirmed the updated estimate, stating that the current projection reflects the escalating nature of the military engagement.

The defence secretary used the hearing to further defend a request for $67 billion in supplemental funding for the Pentagon. Alongside General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hegseth emphasized that this additional funding is both urgent and necessary to cover the Pentagon’s costs through the end of September. Without these funds, he warned the Senate panel, the United States faces critical shortfalls that would threaten the defence department’s ability to pay service members, rapidly replenish equipment and munitions, and sustain vital operations without disruption.

Questions About War Objectives and Achievements

This marked the defence secretary’s first sustained public questioning since a brief ceasefire collapsed and the war roared back to life. Patty Murray, the committee’s top Democrat, pressed Hegseth to explain what the war had achieved so far. She accused the administration of changing its reasons for the conflict every week and warned it could turn into another forever war.

According to reports from The Guardian, Murray noted in her opening remarks that the justification for the war has shifted repeatedly. She asserted that the rationale moved from pre-empting threats that did not exist to regime change, then to dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme and navy, and now to simply reopening the strait of Hormuz. Murray pointed out that this waterway was fully open and toll-free before this war began. She observed that five months later, the strait is closed and the ceasefire has not just disintegrated but the war is now spiralling out of control again.

Where Did the Unspent Money Go?

Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen challenged Hegseth’s assessment regarding available funds. She noted that the defence department still has $75 billion in unspent funds. Shaheen questioned why the administration is asking the American people to absorb the cost of a war they don’t support instead of asking for transfer authority for unspent reconciliation funding. Hegseth responded that the unspent money was otherwise allocated for President Donald Trump’s other priorities, including the Golden Dome for America, hypersonics, and other munitions investments.

The requested funds do not include the cost of rebuilding US military bases in the Middle East. Lawmakers voiced frustration as they pressed for details of the Trump administration’s strategy to win the war in the Middle East. Demands for transparency crossed partisan lines, with Republican Senator John Kennedy saying they need some hard answers and some straight talk when he asked what would happen if the US just left the Strait of Hormuz. Hegseth and Caine did not offer specifics on whether Iran would impose fees for ships seeking passage.