'Repeatedly refused': 46 Democratic senators confront Pete Hegseth over Iran war
WASHINGTON, DC: Forty-six Democratic senators are demanding that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provide Congress with a full accounting of the Iran war as the Pentagon seeks $67 billion more.
The lawmakers accuse Hegseth of withholding basic wartime information, including the costs of repairing damaged bases, and replacing destroyed military assets.
The senators sent their letter to Hegseth early on Thursday, September 17, as they weigh the Pentagon's additional funding request.
Democrats press Pete Hegseth on Pentagon transparency
“Despite your stated needs, you have repeatedly refused to share basic information that previous administrations, Republican and Democratic, provided to the American public and Congress during times of war,” the senators wrote, as per NBC News.
The letter, spearheaded by Sen Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, calls for a detailed breakdown of military operations against Iran.
The lawmakers also want the Pentagon to explain how much has been spent from roughly $34 billion provided under a tax and spending bill President Donald Trump signed last year, the outlet said.
The Pentagon has provided estimates of the war's cost but has not given Congress a total covering repairs to damaged US military bases, replacement of destroyed air and naval assets, and the cost of refurbishing ships and aircraft affected by seven months of fighting.
The request comes as Democrats and some Republicans have expressed frustration over the direction of the war and the information the Pentagon is providing Congress.
War cost estimates vary by billions
The Congressional Budget Office estimated on Tuesday that the war cost the Pentagon $38.1 billion through August 1, as per the outlet.
More than half came from replacing missiles and other munitions, while increased flying hours cost $10.4 billion, and higher fuel prices added $2.7 billion.
Earlier this week, the Defense Department inspector general reported the war cost about $33 billion through June 30, excluding repairs to damaged facilities and other costs.
At a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing in late July, Hegseth put the cost at $37.5 billion.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said the war could cost another $2 billion to $3 billion for every additional month of fighting.
“The price of almost every product reflects shipping costs,” CBO said, estimating that the conflict will raise inflation through the first quarter of 2027, as per CNBC.
John Fetterman declines to sign the letter
Only Sen John Fetterman of Pennsylvania declined to sign the letter.
He said his position on Iran has consistently differed from other Democrats.
“I’ve always been at odds with my fellow Democrats over how we hold Iran accountable,” Fetterman said in a statement to NBC News.
“I’ll continue to remain an unapologetic supporter of efforts to confront the Iranian regime and its proxies,” he said.
The senators' letter also comes as the war has strained US weapons inventories.
The Defense Department inspector general reported “strategic inventory shortfalls,” while CBO warned that rebuilding missile-defense interceptor stocks could take at least five years even if production increases.
Iranian strikes damaged or destroyed “hundreds of buildings and structures” at bases across eight Middle Eastern countries, according to the inspector general's report.
The report also said dozens of aircraft were damaged or destroyed, including four F-15E fighter jets, an F-35A, and seven KC-135 refueling aircraft.
