Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) put Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the spot during a tense Senate hearing over the Trump administration’s request for a historic $1.5 trillion defense budget as the war with Iran continues.
Shaheen questioned why the Pentagon is asking taxpayers for even more money while billions of dollars already approved for defense spending remain unspent.
“Why are you asking the American people to absorb the cost of a war they don’t support?” Shaheen asked.
The senator pointed to Hegseth’s previous testimony that the Defense Department had spent only part of the $150 billion in reconciliation funding it already received.
“You’ve told this committee that you’ve barely spent half of the $150 billion reconciliation funding and if you still have $75 billion available, why are you asking the American people to absorb the cost of a war they don’t support?” Shaheen pressed.
She also questioned why the Pentagon was requesting additional funds while struggling to move existing money toward priorities such as Ukraine assistance.
Hegseth responded that the remaining funds were already committed to projects including President Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system, hypersonic weapons, and other military investments.
But Shaheen pushed back.
“If you can’t spend it on a timeline that makes sense, why do you need to come back and ask for more money?” she asked. “Wouldn’t it be better to spend money you already have?”
She continued challenging Hegseth over the cost of the conflict and the administration’s spending priorities.
“At what point do you stop asking Americans to foot the bill for a war they don’t support, on top of an inflated budget request, and billions in reconciliation funds that you still haven’t spent?”
Instead of directly answering, Hegseth shifted toward discussing threats from “radical Islamists.”
Shaheen quickly cut him off.
“I don’t want to hear your speech because I have limited time,” she said. “So, if you can’t answer my question, then I will move on to my next question.”
The exchange highlighted a broader fight in Congress over whether the United States should continue dramatically expanding defense spending while lawmakers debate the costs of war, domestic needs, and the country’s long-term fiscal priorities.
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