NIKOLE KILLION:
00:00:12
The battle lines were drawn early as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified to Congress for the first time since the Iran war began. The biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless, and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans, two months in.
NIKOLE KILLION:
00:00:32
For nearly six hours, the secretary sparred with several lawmakers over the objectives of the war. Do you think we're winning? Militarily, on the battlefield, it's been an astounding military success. But are we winning the war? Absolutely. OK, so do you call Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz winning?
NIKOLE KILLION:
00:00:49
And the cost. Do you know how much it will cost Americans in terms of their increased cost in gas and food over the next year because of the Iran war? I would simply ask you what the cost is of an Iranian nuclear bomb.
RO KHANNA:
00:01:02
I'm going to give you that-- I would simply ask you what the-- you're playing gotcha questions about domestic things.
NIKOLE KILLION:
00:01:07
During the hearing, a top defense official confirmed the war's price tag has reached at least $25 billion. You have the constitutional right to do these things, but it doesn't make it right or wise.
NIKOLE KILLION:
00:01:17
Many members pressed the secretary on the endgame. The president has got himself in America stuck in the quagmire of another war in the Middle East. He's desperately trying to extricate himself from his own mistakes. And you call it a quagmire, handing propaganda to our enemies. Shame on you for that statement. Pentagon leaders say they are still working with the White House on a broader funding request for the Iran war, so the total cost could go up. But the president has already requested a substantial increase in defense spending next year as part of his budget of $1.5 trillion. That is a key focus of these hearings, Errol, which continue today. All right, funded by the taxpayer. Nikole with all the latest details. Thank you.
