Sen. Gary Peters accused Hegseth of lacking a plan to win the war as the $1.5 trillion budget request faces scrutiny
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth refused to play defense Tuesday, turning a hostile Senate hearing into a forceful counterattack against Democrats he accused of undermining the troops through partisan obstruction — even as senators pressed him on the administration’s handling of the ongoing war with Iran.
The hearing, which was meant to focus on the Pentagon’s record $1.5 trillion budget request for fiscal year 2027, instead became a heated back-and-forth over military leadership and the trajectory of the Iran conflict, now well past the 60 days President Trump initially suggested it would take to resolve.
Peters Presses, Hegseth Pushes Back
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., opened the confrontation by pressing Hegseth on whether the administration actually has a strategy to bring the war to a close, arguing the country was in a worse position than when the conflict began.
“You — you don’t have a strategy, you don’t have a long-term plan to actually win this war,” Peters said, raising his voice. “Win the war! The men and women are going to be able to do it, but they need leadership. When will you show leadership?”
Hegseth didn’t back down. He turned the attack back on Democrats, arguing that their hesitance on the administration’s border enforcement policies has bled into hesitance on funding the military itself.
“When will you show leadership and stand up to your fellow Democrats who won’t fund the troops, who play partisan politics while you don’t give us the money?” Hegseth shot back. “You want to stand up here and talk about the troops? You won’t show any political courage to actually fund our department because you have Trump derangement syndrome and you won’t commit to anything meaningful. So, I put this on you, senator.”
Blaming the Last Administration
Hegseth also used the hearing to draw a contrast with what he described as years of neglect under his predecessor, former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, pointing to the Biden administration’s failure to invest in hypersonic missile technology — a capability China first fielded in 2019.
“They just decided to pretend like that technology didn’t exist and we shouldn’t invest in it,” Hegseth said. “I don’t know what Lloyd Austin did for four years. I really don’t. The amount of neglect, the amount of stale thinking and bureaucracy; it was staggering when we took over.”
A Bind for Democrats
The exchange highlighted a broader challenge facing Democrats on the Armed Services and Appropriations panels: criticizing Hegseth’s leadership without appearing to withhold support from service members currently in harm’s way. Lawmakers on the panel have voiced reservations about the administration’s Iran strategy while also stressing their support for troops in the field — a balancing act Hegseth was quick to exploit in front of the cameras.
The war itself remains unresolved. The conflict began February 28 with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, and despite the administration’s early promises of a swift resolution, American forces remain engaged in a standoff with Tehran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipping.
The Budget Fight Looms Large
The clash unfolded against the backdrop of the Pentagon’s request for $1.5 trillion in defense spending for 2027 — a sizable jump from the roughly $900 billion Congress approved for the current fiscal year. Republicans have largely rallied behind the funding request and Hegseth’s leadership, framing it as essential to reversing what they describe as years of underinvestment and mismanagement at the Pentagon. Democrats have raised concerns about the price tag and pressed for greater accountability on the war’s objectives and cost, which has already climbed past $80 billion — more than double initial estimates given to Congress.
This story is developing.
