Blumenthal grills officials on Iran war cost

Thank you for being here today. I want to talk about the costs of war. The cost of war include caring for our veterans. We've had an estimate from Mr. Hurst yesterday that the cost to date in dollars for this war has been $25 billion, which I believe is well below the actual cost based on everything that I've heard, everything available to us in various kinds of settings. And I'm going to ask for a more accurate assessment. But we also know that about 400 service members have been wounded as a result of this war. When they retire, when they come home, their retirement pay will be docked dollar for dollar for every disability benefit dollar they receive. Secretary Hegseth, I'd like your commitment that you will support the Major Richard Star Act that will eliminate this Wounded Warrior tax. I'm sure you're familiar with it. Tens of thousands of servicemen and women now are reduced in their retirement pay, literally, for every dollar of disability benefits they receive.

Well, I appreciate your focus on this issue. And I will tell you of mentioned roughly 400 that have been injured, thankfully, over 90% are returned to duty. But that doesn't mean they wouldn't have a residual challenge. And we're tracking that at point of injury to ensure that is noted, even though they're returned to duty.

But what I'd like is your commitment that you will support the Major Richard--

As I have said in the past to other organizations, we support the Richard Star Act.

Thank you. On the issue of cost, Mr. Hurst, does that $25 billion estimate include all of the costs in terms of damage to our bases, the need to replace planes and munitions, and the costs of injuries to our servicemen and women? Senator, so for the MILCON facilities replacement cost, that's probably the hardest thing to estimate right now because we don't know what our future posture is going to be or the future construction of those bases.

Well, you owe it to us. You're here to ask for appropriations, and I would like a more accurate estimate of what has been done that will require replacement and renovation, as well as the other costs. And I think $25 billion is probably less than half, maybe less than a quarter of the total cost of war, which is the reason why the supplemental request is much higher. So I think you owe it to the American people to give us the straight talk about what the costs have been. Mr. Secretary, I know you have characterized this war as an "astonishing military success," to use your words yesterday, but the American people aren't buying it. And I know you feel the American people are seeing through the abstruse stuff that is thrown at them. But one point is irrefutable, which is America never succeeds in war unless the American people are behind it. And if what you're seeing as success now is winning, I would hate to see what losing looks like, because none of the shifting and contradictory objectives of the war so far have been achieved. Likewise, let me ask you. Yesterday, the president said that Ukraine has been, quote, "militarily defeated." I assume, you don't agree with that assessment. The negative nature in which you characterize the incredible and historic effort in Iran is part of the reason, Senator, why the American people view it the way they do. It's why I looked out at our press corps at the Pentagon and called them the Pharisees and the press, because they look for every problem-- I'm asking you look for every problem that exists, and you miss Militarily defeated. You missed-- I would submit, based on my nine trips to Ukraine, that is a false narrative that the president-- We are two months into a historic military success in Iran, and you want to call it a defeat. And it's defeatist Democrats like you, that cloud the mind of the American people and would otherwise fully support preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon. --administration And they are bravely fighting our fight. And that is the reason that I'm pursuing the Russian sanctions bill, which is bipartisan, along with Senator Graham, and why I hope we will recognize our obligation to release that $400 million.

Thank you. Thank you, Senator Blumenthal.