Pete Hegseth faces Congress over Pentagon’s $1.5 trillion budget: Live updates

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is testifying before the House and Senate subcommittees Tuesday morning to justify President Donald Trump’s $1.5 trillion budget request for the U.S. military.

While the testimony is focused on the massive investment in the Defense Department, the ongoing war with Iran is likely to become a major topic. Lawmakers may also question Hegseth about drawing down the number of U.S. troops in Europe, as well as about support for the war in Ukraine.

General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is joining Hegseth.

During opening remarks, Hegseth called the budget “historic” but contended it was “fiscally responsible.”

The budget testimony comes a month after Hegseth gave a combative testimony to the House and Senate Armed Services Committee in which he accused congressional lawmakers of being “the biggest adversary.”

Ahead of Hegseth’s opening remarks, Rep. Betty McCollum urged the defense secretary not to “bring personalities” into the hearing.

Later Tuesday, FBI Director Kash Patel is expected to testify about the administration’s budget as it pertains to law enforcement.

• The House shredded a combative Hegseth on Iran. A worse fate awaits him on Thursday in the Senate
• ‘Military genius’: Trump defends his Iran plan in lash back to critics but admits ceasefire is ‘on life support’

Hegseth keeps it calm during opening statement

Hegseth's opening statement thus far is devoid of the bluster and partisanship that characterized his testimony before the House and Senate Armed Services committees.

That's likely because he's been advised that the appropriations subcommittees he is appearing in front of today are responsible for cutting the check that funds his department. He's not going to walk into their house and bite the hand that feeds him.

Hegseth's testimony comes after a combative exchange with lawmakers

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s testimony to Congress Tuesday morning comes less than a month after he got into a tense exchange with lawmakers who questioned the validity of the Iran war.

Catch up with Hegseth’s most recent testimony:

Pete Hegseth lost his cool in front of Congress. It was a dramatic unraveling

Welcome to The Independent's live blog

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live blog for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s testimony to Congress on the Trump administration’s budget request for $1.5 trillion.

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