Senate freezes Hegseth's travel funds, demands answers on strike that killed 150 Iran schoolgirls
WASHINGTON, DC: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing a bipartisan congressional rebuke as lawmakers move to restrict his travel budget over long-running complaints that the Pentagon has kept Congress in the dark.
The proposed restriction comes as senators demand records related to military strikes that have drawn scrutiny from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The effort turns months of frustration over limited access to information into a direct funding measure aimed at forcing greater transparency from the Pentagon.
Senate targets Pete Hegseth travel budget over strike records
A Republican-led Senate Armed Services Committee proposal filed Tuesday would block Hegseth from using more than 25 percent of his travel budget until the Pentagon turns over key documents related to military operations.
Under the defense policy bill, lawmakers are demanding "unredacted civilian harm investigations" and other records connected to strikes in the Middle East and Latin America.
Committee members, led by Republican Sen Roger Wicker, highlighted the April 2025 strikes in Yemen that resulted in dozens of casualties and the February 2026 strike on the Minab girls' school in Iran that left at least 150 students and staff among the reported casualties.
The legislation also seeks "unedited video of strikes conducted against designated organizations in the area of responsibility of the United States Southern Command," referring to deadly boat strikes in the Caribbean that began in September last year.
Democratic Sen Jack Reed, the committee's ranking member, said the measure was designed to increase oversight.
"It strengthens national defense and enhances oversight and accountability," Reed said in a statement.
He added that the bill "forces the Secretary to be more accountable to Congress and will prevent many errors of the past from being repeated in the future," while also acknowledging Wicker's "partnership.”
Lawmakers raise transparency concerns over military operations
The budget restriction follows months of public complaints from lawmakers who said they were not receiving enough information from the Pentagon.
In March, Rep Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, openly criticized the Trump administration's level of communication regarding Middle East planning.
“We want to know more about what's going on, what the options are, and why they're being considered," Rogers told reporters.
"And we're just not getting enough answers on those questions," he added.
Those concerns now form the backdrop for a Senate proposal that directly links Hegseth's travel spending to compliance with congressional oversight demands.
Senate hearing highlights tensions with Pentagon officials
Tensions between lawmakers and defense officials also surfaced during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in November.
Wicker temporarily halted the hearing after a Defense Department official appeared to incorrectly state that lawmakers had already received briefings on plans to reduce the number of US troops stationed in Romania.
“Where did you get that information?" Wicker asked Austin Dahmer, the deputy defense undersecretary for policy.
Florida Republican Sen Rick Scott also challenged the claim.
"Can you tell me who did them, the dates… because I wasn't invited," Scott said.
The exchange underscored the same complaint now driving the Senate proposal: lawmakers from both parties say they have repeatedly been left without information they believe Congress should have received.
