Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are scheduled to testify before a Senate committee on Tuesday afternoon regarding the Trump administration's supplemental funding request amid recent escalations in the war with Iran. This follows the deaths of at least two U.S. soldiers due to an Iranian attack and another service member's death in Iraq during a controlled explosion involving an Iranian drone, bringing the total U.S. military fatalities in the conflict to 17 since February. Nearly 100 American service members have been reported injured in various Iranian strikes on bases in the Middle East this month.
The hearing will address a request for $67 billion to support the Pentagon's operations related to the war, part of a broader request for $88 billion that includes funding for munitions, operational costs, and classified programs. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins will also testify, as the supplemental funding package includes provisions for combating the Ebola outbreak in Africa and farm aid.
During the hearing, Hegseth and Caine are expected to face questions about the financial implications of the war. Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the committee, intends to emphasize the costs incurred and the funds previously allocated to the Pentagon. Some Republican senators, including Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, have shown support for limiting presidential war powers in Iran, which may influence the discussion. House Republicans are pursuing funding through the budget reconciliation process, but some GOP senators have expressed skepticism regarding the feasibility of this approach in the Senate.