US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced lawmakers for the first time since the war on Iran began, defending the administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion defence budget.
He said he “appreciates the opportunity” to testify in support of the request for the 2027 fiscal year.
“The president’s budget request reflects the urgency of the moment,” Hegseth said.
He added that Donald Trump aims to put the US defence industrial base “back on a wartime footing.”