Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from lawmakers over the Iran war Tuesday, including some over the length of the conflict and its lack of congressional approval.
President Donald Trump is facing increasing pressure from of Iran effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor where 20% of the world鈥檚 oil normally flows. Trump said Monday that and criticized Iran for its latest proposal, pointing to his demands that Iran significantly limit its nuclear program.
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Defense Secretary Hegseth defends 鈥榟istoric鈥� budget request
Hegseth said the 鈥渁dmittedly a historic budget鈥� the Pentagon is requesting from Congress is 鈥渁 fiscally responsible budget, and it is a warfighting budget.鈥�
Hegseth argued that the Trump administration inherited a defense industrial base that had been 鈥渉ollowed out by years of America last policies, resulting in a diminished capability and capacity to project strength.鈥�
However, in contrast with his Congressional testimony two weeks ago, Hegseth struck a much softer tone and did not personally criticize lawmakers in his initial remarks.
Rep. Betty McCollum, a Democrat from Minnesota, specifically noted that 鈥渋t was disappointing that you referred to members of both parties as defeatist鈥� in previous testimony.
鈥淚 will not question your patriotism, nor will you question mine,鈥� she added.
The defense secretary said the $1.5 trillion request also includes a large troop pay increase and 鈥渆liminates all poor or failing barracks鈥� while investing heavily in projects championed by President Trump such as the Golden Dome and Golden Fleet.
House Appropriations Committee chair subtly pushes against Trump approach
Rep. Tom Cole, the top Republican on the powerful House money committee, added his concerns about Trump鈥檚 approach on the world stage, saying 鈥淎merica First has never meant American alone.鈥�
鈥淎merican power is most effective when it鈥檚 exercised in concert with like minded nations who share our interests and our values,鈥� the chairman said in his opening remarks.
He added an endorsement of NATO as a 鈥渃ritical pillar of collective defense鈥� in the world.
鈥淎merican strength is not diminished when allies shoulder their share,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 multiplied, and we must continue to sharpen our strategic advantages.鈥�
Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, did not explicitly mention the president or his criticism of NATO and traditional U.S. allies. But his remarks stood as a clear contrast to Trump鈥檚 statements and approach.
Top Republican and Democrat open with concerns about Pentagon strategy
Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert, a California Republican, and Ranking Member Betty McCollum, a Democrat from Minnesota, opened the hearing expressing bipartisan worry over the Pentagon鈥檚 budget requests, especially to fund the Iran war.
They repeated their request that the Trump administration offer a more detailed breakout of what the war costs and how the Pentagon would spend any budget increase.
鈥淭he subcommittee needs to understand how the resources requested in this budget translates into real, measurable improvements in warfighting capability,鈥� Calvert said, adding that he has 鈥渟erious concerns鈥� about the request.
鈥淨uestions persist about whether we are building the depth and reliance required for a high end conflict,鈥� he said.
McCollum noted that lawmakers have 鈥渁sked several times for a complete update on ammunition levels, and it has not been provided.鈥�
Lawmakers begin hearing with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine
The House Appropriations鈥� defense subcommittee has opened its Tuesday session to hear from President Trump鈥檚 top advisers on the Iran war.
The hearing is part of a series of congressional budget deliberations. The Pentagon is , a roughly 44% increase from the current U.S. defense budget.
Hegseth has had in recent appearances on the Hill. But he鈥檚 been a staunch defender of the Iran war even as on the conflict.
Trump is getting another medical checkup at the end of May, the White House says
Trump is scheduled to see doctors for a medical and dental checkup this month 鈥� his fourth since returning to office 鈥� in what the White House describes as an annual physical and regular preventive care.
Trump, who turns 80 next month and was the oldest person elected U.S. president, will see his doctors at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on May 26, the White House said in a brief statement Monday evening.
The president鈥檚 health has been the subject of tremendous scrutiny, so much so that Trump said he on his heart and abdomen last year because it raised public questions about his health.
Trump has recently remarked how good he feels despite his years. Earlier Monday, Trump that he feels the same as he did 50 years ago. 鈥淚 feel literally the same,鈥� he said at an Oval Office event. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why. It鈥檚 not because I eat the best foods.鈥�
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Supreme Court halts order for Alabama to use US House map with 2 largely Black districts
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday set the stage for Alabama to eliminate one of two largely Black congressional districts before this year鈥檚 midterm elections, creating an opening for Republicans to in a partisan battle for control of the closely divided chamber.
The decision follows in April that struck down a majority-Black U.S. House district in Louisiana as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, significantly weakening a provision of the federal Voting Rights Act.
Alabama officials had pointed to the Louisiana case as a reason for the Supreme Court to end a judicial order to use a court-imposed House map until after the 2030 census. The high court on Monday overturned that order and directed a lower court to reconsider the case in light of the Louisiana decision. That could free the state to instead use a map approved in 2023 by the Republican-led legislature that includes only one district where Black residents comprise a majority.
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Trump and Xi appear intent on keeping deep differences over Iran war from overshadowing China summit
Trump is set to leave Tuesday for with President after weeks of trying, and failing, to persuade the Chinese government to use its considerable leverage to prod Iran to agree to U.S. terms to end the two-month war, or at the very least, reopen the
Trump has veered between venting that China, the world鈥檚 biggest buyer of Iranian oil, hasn鈥檛 done more to get the Islamic Republic in line, and acknowledging that de-escalate the conflict last month by nudging Tehran back to ceasefire talks when negotiations wobbled.
But ahead of the the White House has set low expectations that Trump will be able to persuade Xi to change China鈥檚 posture.
Instead, the administration seems determined not to let overshadow efforts to make headway on other difficult matters in the complicated relationship 鈥� ranging from to further Chinese cooperation to
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