AP News53%
Hegseth estimates Iran war has cost $37.5 billion as he defends funding request at fiery hearing 44%
By LISA MASCARO54%
7/21/2026, 5:55:59 PM
Keywords: Pete Hegseth, Iran War, Mike Johnson, Donald Trump, War And Unrest, John Kennedy, Patty Murray, Military And Defense, U S Republican Party, U S Department Of Defense, Iran War Hegseth Military Deaths 95 Billion, Susan Collins, Brooke Rollins, United States Senate, Iran Government, Iran, U S Democratic Party, Government And Politics, Kirsten Gillibrand, Dan Caine, Jon Ossoff, Politics
BS Summary: This article contains 11 faulty reasoning types, including Pessimism Bias, Biased Writer Voice, and Status Quo Bias, with Framing Effect as the most egregious example at 8.7% saturation with 40 hits. Analysis detected 243 faulty-reasoning hits from 461 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 47.2% and a BS Rank of 44% (11,900 of 21,145 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 56.30% of the article peer group.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced fiery questions and protests Tuesday over the U.S. war with Iran, which he estimated has cost $37.5 billion so far, as Republicans prepare a $95 billion package to fund the military, along with other White House priorities.
Hegseth provided the new estimate, up from earlier assessments, during a combative Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, which came days after the Pentagon announced that three more American service members have died in the conflict, bringing the death toll to 17, and that more than 100 have been injured since early July.
Several times protesters interrupted his opening remarks.
Hegseth said the supplemental war funding is an “urgent, necessary” injection of money, and with President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget a generational investment in the military.
“Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls,” Hegseth testified.
But Sen.
Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the panel, warned of “another forever war.”
“This war is now spiraling out of control again,” Murray said.
Trump has said repeatedly that “a deal is near, and the war will be over soon,” she said.
“But now, he’s asking for $70 billion more — and for us to just trust him it’ll all work out fine.”
Gen.
Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins were also testifying before the panel.
The proposed budget package includes $60 billion and $12 billion for other national security needs, along with $10 billion for farm aid and $10 billion for voting law changes.
Before the hearing, the White House issued a statement urging support of the budget resolution, “without modification — immediately.”
War funds make up the bulk of the GOP budget plan
War funding makes up the bulk of the GOP’s new budget proposal, one last priority package the Republicans hope to launch before lawmakers recess to campaign for the midterm elections.
The package aims to help farmers struggling under Trump’s tariffs and to pay for voter law changes, none of it paid for with offsets.
It’s the same lengthy process Republicans used to approve Trump’s big tax cuts bill last summer, as well as Homeland Security money earlier this year.
The proposal is headed toward a House vote this week, which would start the process by instructing various committees to begin drafting the legislation.
Johnson can afford only a few defectors from his slim majority, and some conservatives want the funding offset with spending reductions elsewhere.
GOP senators have so far panned the House budget plan, but are waiting to see if Johnson can kickstart the process.
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Associated Press writers Matt Brown and Ben Finley contributed to this report.
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