Hegseth's Second Day of Senate Testimony: Iran War Cost $25B; Defends Continued Campaign

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 30, 2026 for a second day of testimony — this time focused on the Iran war's costs and strategy. Hegseth confirmed the war has cost $25 billion to date according to Pentagon figures, though he noted rebuilding damaged US assets could add tens of billions more. Democrats pressed Hegseth over the War Powers Resolution 60-day deadline expiring May 1 and questioned whether the President planned to certify continued military operations. Hegseth defended the Iran campaign's mission, citing 11,000+ targets struck and the destruction of Iran's air force, navy, radar systems, and significant portions of its nuclear programme infrastructure as justification. CBC News reported Democrats accused Hegseth of 'lying' about nuclear war costs and broader strategic objectives. The hearing drew attention to the widening Congressional unease about the conflict: while the Senate failed four times to pass War Powers resolutions, the hearings underscored growing legislative pressure on the administration to define an exit strategy or submit a formal Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF).