The topic is the U.S. defense budget, but the committee's Democrats took the opportunity, as expected, to ask questions about the war.
They focused, among other things, on the skyrocketing costs of the war, the use of large quantities of vital ammunition, and the deadly bombing of a school.
Questioning the reasons for the war
In a tense exchange, top Democrat Adam Smith questioned the Trump administration's justifications for the war. This came after Hegseth repeated the claim that Iran's nuclear facilities were destroyed in the U.S. attacks in June of last year.
"We had to start this war," you said 60 days ago, "because nuclear weapons were an imminent threat. Now you're saying Iran's ability to acquire nuclear weapons was already completely destroyed," Smith said.
Hegseth countered that Iran had not given up its "nuclear weapons ambitions" and that the country still had thousands of missiles, to which Smith commented that the war had achieved nothing.
Multi-billion-dollar cost
During the hearing on Wednesday, it also emerged that the U.S. war in Iran has so far cost $25 billion, equivalent to just over 230 billion kronor.
The record-high proposed defense budget is $1.5 trillion - 44 percent higher than this year’s, which was also a record. To justify the budget, Hegseth and Defense Secretary Dan Caine were expected to argue, among other things, that the United States needs more drones, missiles, defense systems and warships.
The hearing comes just days before the Iran war reaches the 60-day deadline for Congress to authorize military action. The Iran war has drawn strong opposition, primarily from Democrats, but has also been questioned by members of President Donald Trump's own Republican Party.
