Day 2 for Hegseth on the Hill.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will deliver his first public testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee since the outbreak of the Iran war, a high-stakes hearing that is expected to quickly pivot from budget talk to battlefield strategy.
On paper, Thursday’s hearing is about the Pentagon’s massive $1.5 trillion budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. In reality, it is shaping up as a referendum on the administration’s war footing and long-term objectives.
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The hearing will feature Hegseth alongside Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan “Raizin” Caine, giving lawmakers their first opportunity to publicly press the Pentagon’s top civilian and military leadership since the conflict escalated.
Republicans, led by committee chairman Roger Wicker, are expected to zero in on how that historic level of defense spending can be used to rebuild America’s military-industrial base.
Watch live above. Clips to follow below.
