Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will testify before the House Armed Services Committee for the first time since the Trump administration launched a war against Iran without congressional approval. Lawmakers are expected to question him not only about the administration’s proposed 2027 military budget of 1.5 trillion dollars, but also about the rising costs and consequences of the conflict.

Democratic Party members are likely to press Hegseth on the financial toll of the war, the depletion of critical munitions, civilian casualties and concerns about military readiness after Iranian drones penetrated defenses and harmed American troops. Although a ceasefire is in place, the conflict has disrupted global oil shipments after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a United States naval blockade and an expanded military presence in the region.

Republican Party lawmakers have largely supported President Donald Trump’s leadership during the conflict, citing concerns over Iran’s nuclear program, but some have expressed unease about the war’s duration and recent leadership shakeups at the Pentagon. Hegseth’s removal of several senior military officials, including top Army leadership, has drawn bipartisan scrutiny, with some lawmakers questioning the timing and judgment of those decisions as the nation remains in a wartime posture.