Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine testify before House panel on budget — 5/12/26

Summary

The House Appropriations Subcommittee holds a hearing to review the FY2027 defense budget request of $1.5 trillion. Topics include the cost of the Iran war, industrial base revitalization, and concerns over mandatory funding and transparency.

• Secretary Pete Hegseth defends the $1.5 trillion budget as a warfighting budget to reverse underinvestment.
• General Dan Caine emphasizes the need for predictable funding to maintain joint force readiness.
• Comptroller Jules Hurst estimates the Iran war cost at $29 billion to date.
• Lawmakers express concerns over the use of reconciliation for defense funding and lack of cost transparency.
• Discussions focus on munitions stockpiles, aviation modernization, and counter-UAS capabilities.
• The subcommittee requests detailed cost breakdowns and supplemental funding information by June 11th.