Hegseth’s contentious hearing in Congress reveals partisan divide over Iran war

[0:00] Today, for the first time since the U.S. went to war with Iran, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth [0:05] faced sharp questions from Congress. [0:08] During the hearing, the Pentagon revealed that the war so far has cost $25 billion. [0:13] The fighting is on hold, but the military maintains its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. [0:19] And PBS NewsHour has learned one of the aircraft carriers currently in the region, the USS [0:24] Gerald R. Ford, will soon head home after a record-setting 10 months at sea. [0:30] Nick Schifrin reports on a contentious hearing and a partisan divide over the war. [0:34] NICK SCHIFRIN, U.S. and Israel's campaign has eliminated more than half of Iran's missiles [0:55] and drones, much of its defense industrial base, its entire conventional navy and air force, [1:01] and has now become a fight over Iran's chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz. [1:05] But Secretary Pete Hegseth said today the threat of Iran pales in comparison to what he called [1:10] Democratic defeatism. [1:11] REP. [1:12] PETE HEGSETH, U.S. Secretary of State, The biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we [1:14] face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of congressional Democrats [1:22] and some Republicans. [1:23] NICK SCHIFRIN, U.S. Secretary and this House Armed Services Committee haven't always been [1:28] that political. [1:29] But today, even some previously skeptical Republicans piled on the praise. [1:33] REP. [1:34] REP. [1:35] REP. [1:36] SEN. [1:37] SEN. [1:38] SEN. [1:39] SEN. [1:40] SEN. [1:41] SEN. [2:06] SEN. [2:07] SEN. [2:08] SEN. [2:36] SEN. [2:37] SEN. [2:38] SEN. [2:39] SEN. [2:40] SEN. [2:41] SEN. [2:42] SEN. [2:43] SEN. [2:44] SEN. [2:45] SEN. [2:46] SEN. [2:47] SEN. [2:48] SEN. [2:49] SEN. [2:50] SEN. [2:51] SEN. [2:52] SEN. [2:53] SEN. [2:54] SEN. [2:55] SEN. [2:56] SEN. [2:57] SEN. [2:58] SEN. [2:59] SEN. [3:00] SEN. [3:01] SEN. [3:02] SEN. [3:03] SEN. [3:04] SEN. [3:05] deep concern about the firings of dozens of senior military and civilian leaders including most [3:10] recently navy secretary john phelan and chief of staff of the army general randy george i would [3:16] just point out it may be constitutionally right you have the customer's right to do these things [3:20] but it doesn't make it right or wise it's very difficult to change the culture of a department [3:25] that has been destroyed by the wrong perspectives so you say general george destroyed a culture [3:31] there are many we've we've gotten rid of many general officers in this administration because [3:36] we need new leadership you have no way of explaining why you fired one of the most decorated and [3:40] remarkable men who's we needed new leadership and so your answer is a very immature way of responding [3:46] to my my request today's hearing was actually called to discuss the administration's record [3:51] 1.45 trillion dollar budget request which goes well beyond replenishing munitions spent in iran [3:58] to build much needed drones missile defense and increase boat building the budget represents a [4:05] 40 percent increase and won't survive at that number but would help the u.s catch up to what committee [4:10] chairman alabama republican mike rogers called china's people's liberation army's growing advantage [4:16] china continues to invest heavily in the pla's military modernization announcing another seven [4:21] percent increase in defense spending this year as a result they are spending more of their gdp on [4:28] defense than we are down payment chairman of the joint chiefs of staff general dan kane called the [4:33] request a much needed long-term investment as we look at the character of warfare changing very very fast [4:41] what's layered in to this budget by our civilian leaders will allow us to start getting ahead of [4:48] where technology is evolving but today in the middle east it is not advanced technology helping [4:54] determine the war's fate iran is using the threat of mines and drones to keep a chokehold over the [5:00] strait of hormuz iran recently offered to open the strait if the u.s lifted its own blockade and paused [5:07] any discussion of iranian nuclear limits an offer that president trump today rejected at this moment [5:15] there will never be a deal unless they agree that there will be no nuclear weapons instead u.s [5:22] officials say they'll maintain the blockade enforced just yesterday by marines on a commercial tanker [5:27] and keep up maximum economic pressure hoping iran loosens its demands until then tankers remain at a [5:34] standstill in the war's diplomacy in a standoff for the pbs news hour i'm nick schifrin support [5:41] journalism you trust support pbs news donate now or even better start a monthly contribution today