'Where Did The Money Go?': Democrats Torch Pete Hegseth In Fiery Senate Hearing Over Iran War Budget

[0:00] The problem's not a lack of money, but poor planning. [0:02] So I'll be blunt, the truth is your request does not make a lot of sense. [0:07] So let me ask you a simple question. [0:09] Why exactly are billions of dollars more for the National Guard [0:13] and this administration's illegal strikes in the Caribbean [0:16] urgently needed for the Iran war? [0:18] We are told the Department of Defense still has $75 billion [0:22] in unobligated funding from last year's reconciliation package. [0:26] Is that true? [0:27] My point is, if you can't spend it on a timeline, that makes sense. [0:33] Why do you need to come back and ask for more money? [0:37] Wouldn't it be better to spend money that you already have? [0:40] I'll say it, the Obama nuclear deal, [0:43] which we did without having to put our people in harm's way. [0:49] And then the last objective, which has become a new objective, [0:52] is open up the Strait of Hormuz. [0:55] But the Strait of Hormuz was open before this war started. [0:59] And so you tell my constituents why this war is going so well. [1:04] I don't think there was ever a question about whether the United States, [1:08] with its superior military, could destroy a lot of Iranian assets, [1:14] military assets or other assets. [1:17] That was never a question. [1:19] But when most people think of winning the war, [1:23] they think that that means the war is going to come to an end because we've won. [1:27] And the president said back in March that we'd won. [1:30] So I guess my question to you is, how are we going to define winning? [1:38] Just don't know what version of the war to believe. [1:42] Because it's either over or it's not over. [1:44] It's within two weeks or it's not two weeks. [1:46] We have no missiles or we have missiles. [1:48] And that consternation is why so many New Yorkers are perplexed, [1:53] stressed out, and find this war to be incredibly unpopular. [1:56] Can you commit to this Congress and this committee [1:59] that the president isn't going to take this plane with him when he leaves office? [2:05] The only thing more insulting to the taxpayers of spending money on a jet they don't need [2:09] would be for the president to take it with him, [2:12] to take it out of our military inventory when he leaves office. [2:16] I will tell you how I use the word failure. [2:18] Because I use the word failure to their leaders. [2:21] You, sir, are the failure. [2:22] Not the men and women who are on that front line. [2:25] Not the men and women who hold up their honor with distinction. [2:30] But if there's a lack of a winning strategy, they're in harm's way. [2:34] Their leaders have failed them. [2:35] And that's what's happening. [2:36] We have political leadership. [2:38] You. [2:38] You don't have a strategy. [2:40] You don't have a long-term plan to actually win this war. [2:43] Thank you, Chair Collins. [2:49] Secretary Hague-Seth, your department received $150 billion last year [2:55] in the Republicans' big, beautiful bill. [2:57] It also received a record $839 billion for fiscal year 2026, [3:03] more money than you asked for last year. [3:06] Combined, that is a trillion-dollar budget for the year. [3:09] And as I already mentioned, your department has yet [3:12] to spend half of the reconciliation funds. [3:14] And despite that, you are here today asking for tens of billions [3:18] of dollars more for things that you've already asked for [3:21] in your FY27 request or that have nothing to do with Iran. [3:26] This administration has tried to sell this as an emergency request, [3:30] but it may be better understood as an attempt to skirt the normal appropriations process. [3:36] Here are just a few of the things requested in this Iran supplemental. [3:40] $800 million for the National Guard to patrol D.C. even longer. [3:45] Over $1 billion for the Army to patrol the southern border, which is DHS's job. [3:51] $900 million to support the administration's illegal boat strikes in the Caribbean. [3:56] Over $18 billion for munitions, which you've already requested in your FY27 budget request. [4:02] And $1.7 billion to pay for your decision to recruit more people than the services need, [4:08] which was not contemplated by the FY26 funding bill Congress recently passed. [4:14] Now, you've already submitted a reprogramming request on this that our subcommittee is considering now, [4:20] which really underscores the point I made in my opening remarks that the problem's not a lack of money, [4:25] but poor planning. [4:27] So I'll be blunt. [4:27] The truth is your request does not make a lot of sense. [4:30] So let me ask you a simple question. [4:34] Why exactly are billions of dollars more for the National Guard and this administration's illegal strikes in the Caribbean urgently needed for the Iran war? [4:45] Well, Senator, I wouldn't, of course, agree with your characterization, [4:48] but why this kind of spending is needed is because of the gross negligence and neglect of the Biden administration inside our department. [4:54] Ran it like a bureaucracy. [4:57] Abandoned our strength posture around the world, so we're having to reestablish deterrence. [5:02] Just to, you mentioned the end strength numbers, and I will acknowledge that we are ahead of schedule on end strength in recruiting. [5:09] 8,000 in the Navy, 6,000 in the Army, 4,000 in the Air Force. [5:13] Because under President Trump, there's been record and historic over 30-year recruiting records inside our department [5:19] since he won the election because the American people didn't want to sign up for what Joe Biden was providing our military. [5:25] And they want to sign up for what President Trump is doing in his leadership. [5:29] And so those are good problems to have that we need to fund and a reflection of momentum. [5:33] And this budget will allow us to continue the kind of momentum that gets us ahead. [5:37] My point is that a lot of this request does not feel like an emergency. [5:40] And let me move on. [5:41] Secretary Hague said, like most Americans, I've had a lot of trouble following this administration's contradictory statements about the war. [5:49] On April 8th, you said, and I quote, their missile program is functionally destroyed. [5:55] Launchers, production facilities, and existing stockpiles depleted and decimated and almost completely ineffective. [6:01] Mr. Secretary, Iran has been firing at U.S. military bases in the region and ships for the last week. [6:10] How is it possible if their capabilities were, quote, functionally destroyed three months earlier, as she claimed, for them to be doing this now? [6:19] Senator, Iran is at the weakest point militarily it has ever been in in the past decade. [6:24] Certainly, maybe in 47 years as they've gathered effectively a terror army. [6:29] And that terror army was built to try to create conventional capabilities to defend against a pursuit of nuclear weapons, [6:35] which meant thousands of ballistics missiles, many of which we have destroyed, [6:39] others of which they have put inside facilities and hidden in underground facilities. [6:43] That's what terror regimes would do. [6:45] So I acknowledge they still have capabilities, no doubt. [6:47] But the amount of damage that we've done to them over the course of these series of operations has put them in the worst place they've ever been. [6:55] Okay, well, let me move on. [6:56] On May 5th, you claimed that Iran doesn't control the strait, and you said that there was a, quote, [7:02] powerful red, white, and blue dome over the strait. [7:05] If that was true, how did Iran shrink ship traffic in the strait to a trickle again last week? [7:12] We pushed almost, I believe, between 400 and 500 million bearers of oil under the nose of Iran over the course of Project Freedom, [7:19] which went underground, which I acknowledged after we did so covertly, [7:23] because it was more effective to do so quietly than to do so publicly. [7:26] So we've been in control of moving traffic through there for quite some time. [7:30] Will they retain the ability to recklessly shoot at commercial shipping? [7:33] And that's what happened. [7:34] We had a ceasefire, and then they shot at commercial shipping. [7:37] Well, you also said at that same press conference, and I'm going to quote you. [7:43] You urged Iran to, quote, [7:44] let innocent ships pass freely. [7:46] These international waters belong to all nations, not to Iran to tax, toll, or control. [7:52] Last week, President Trump said the U.S. would charge a 20% toll to each ship to pass through the state. [7:58] So based on your opposition to tolls, did you talk to the president out of that idea, or did someone else? [8:04] Iran's not charging tolls, and they're shooting at ships right now. [8:10] But Trump said that he wanted to charge a 20% toll. [8:15] We have a blockade right now of all Iranian ships and Iranian ports, and it's effective. [8:20] My time is out. [8:21] Thanks, Madam Chair. [8:23] Mr. Secretary, I'd like to ask you to help me reconcile some numbers. [8:27] It's my understanding that this whole supplementary funding request is $87.6 billion, [8:34] and most of the funding, $67 billion, is for the Department of Defense. [8:39] Yet we are told the Department of Defense still has $75 billion in unobligated funding [8:45] from last year's reconciliation package. [8:48] Is that true? [8:50] Roughly correct numbers, yes. [8:52] So you left some change on the dresser before you prepared to come for this hearing. [8:58] What's going to happen to that $75 billion? [9:01] Well, that $75 billion, there's plans and designs on that, part of the rebuild of our military, [9:05] which had to be undertaken. [9:06] And so One Big Beautiful Bill gave us specific avenues. [9:10] I'd have to get you the exact numbers of what that is left to be allocated. [9:13] Does it have to do with the war in Iran? [9:15] No, this is rebuilding our military from what was not funded in the past under the Biden administration. [9:20] So this is from 2026, One Big Beautiful Bill, [9:23] which helped move the president's priorities like Golden Dome for America, [9:27] move away from all the woke priorities of what the Biden administration was pursuing, [9:31] give us a chance to start cutting these deals on munitions, [9:34] all the things that the president wanted us to focus on, shipbuilding, hypersonics. [9:38] I mean, the Biden administration ignored hypersonics. [9:40] They just decided to pretend like that technology didn't exist and we shouldn't invest in it. [9:44] There are things. [9:45] I don't know what Lloyd Austin did for four years. [9:48] I really don't. [9:48] The amount of neglect, the amount of stale thinking and bureaucracy was staggering when we took over. [9:55] So One Big Beautiful Bill gave us a chance to get caught back up. [9:57] Let me interrupt your speech for a minute, Mr. Secretary. [10:00] It's my turn to ask questions. [10:01] I've been listening patiently while you made your presentation. [10:04] You estimated at one point that the cost of the war in Iran was $29 billion, [10:11] but then added a caveat that there was a replacement of munitions, for example. [10:16] Do you have a new estimate about what the war has cost us so far in this, [10:20] the fifth month of the first year of this war in Iran? [10:23] Senator, the estimate we have as of today is $37.5 billion. [10:27] And is the current activity, which we have been told about the exchange of fire back and forth [10:34] in Iran an indication that that number is going to go up in the months ahead? [10:39] Some of that number captures additional O&M, mill pay, [10:42] and other that would be anticipated through the fiscal year. [10:44] So some of that anticipates what costs would be going out in the future as well. [10:48] So the new number you've given me is what? [10:51] $37.5 billion. [10:53] And that represents the cost of the war through what period of time? [10:56] Through now for certain aspects of it, but also mill pay, O&M, [11:02] other anticipated costs through September 30th, Senator. [11:05] General Cain, let me ask you a question. [11:08] I joined a group of senators somewhere here, Senator Rounds, Senator Coons, [11:14] Senator Shaheen, and met with President Zelensky in Turkey during the NATO summit. [11:20] He was very explicit in terms of what he needed to win. [11:24] He feels the momentum in Ukraine is moving to his side, [11:30] that he is putting a foot forward instead of back. [11:33] Is that your feeling? [11:36] Sir, I think the pressure that Ukraine is putting on Russia is substantive at this point. [11:43] Do you acknowledge his request that we help them with air defenses as a high priority? [11:49] Sir, I know he's made the request. [11:51] Whether or not that moves forward is always a debate at our civilian leadership, [11:55] but I'm aware of that request. [11:57] Are you aware of the fact that we appropriated and the president signed into law [12:00] $400 billion of supplemental funding for Ukraine, including money for air defenses? [12:06] I am, sir. [12:08] Are you also aware the administration has informed us [12:11] that that money will not be available in many aspects until the next president is in office? [12:17] Sir, I'm not aware of that. [12:18] My understanding was that that capital had been allocated, [12:23] but I'll have to defer to my civilian leadership on that. [12:25] I'm sorry to tell you, the pay plan tells us to be prepared to spend that money in fiscal year 29. [12:32] The new president, whoever it may be, will make that decision. [12:35] If you're talking about air defenses and the momentum on the side of Zelensky, [12:39] what impact will it have if we cannot fund this for three years? [12:43] Sir, I want to highlight that the incredible work that the Ukraine industrial base is doing [12:50] is they scale their own capabilities. [12:53] It ranges from their surface-to-air capabilities to their air-to-air capabilities. [12:58] I'll note that recently we had the first air-to-air kill where a Ukrainian F-16 shot down a Russian fighter. [13:04] So I think their ability to scale their layered defense has come along a long way [13:10] over the past couple years with the help and assistance of many. [13:16] General, thank you for your service to the country, and I'm sorry for our losses. [13:20] I believe 17 servicemen have given their lives in Iran so far, [13:24] and hundreds, hundreds have been injured. [13:26] We should acknowledge that fact. [13:28] And let me also say, we're in a moment in history where we can win the war in Ukraine. [13:33] That victory would be critically important for those people who have fought for more than four years [13:38] against the odds and proven they can put Putin back on his heels. [13:41] But instead of finding the money that they need now for air defenses, [13:45] we're putting more money into this exchange with Iran, [13:48] a war of choice which we never should have entered. [13:51] Thank you, General. [13:52] Thank you, Madam Chair. [13:53] Secretary Hegseth, since you last testified, [13:55] before this committee, we finally received the spend plan [14:00] for the $400 million FY26 appropriation for Ukraine security assistance. [14:05] This funding was passed back in January, [14:08] and now there are only three months left in this fiscal year. [14:13] And while I appreciate that we now see what most of the funding is intended for, [14:18] I just heard from the CEO of one of the manufacturers of the defense articles [14:24] that are contained in the spend plan that they not only haven't received funding, [14:29] but they haven't even seen a contract. [14:31] So when are we going to see a contract for those defense articles [14:35] that are contained in the spend plan for Iraq? [14:39] I'm sorry, for Ukraine. [14:41] For Ukraine. [14:43] Senator, I'll have to get back to you on the specifics of the timeline of that. [14:45] I'll talk to our policy shop as well as the UCOM commander to determine where that's at. [14:49] Well, you've told this committee that you've barely spent half of the $150 billion [14:54] in reconciliation funding, and if you still have $75 billion available, [14:59] why are you asking the American people to absorb the cost of a war they don't support [15:04] instead of asking for transfer authority for unspent reconciliation funding, [15:09] especially if you can't even get $400 million in Ukraine funding out the door? [15:14] As I mentioned earlier, Senator, that money from the one big, beautiful bill [15:19] is otherwise allocated to the rebuilding of our military with priorities of the president [15:23] like Golden Dome for America and hypersonics and other munitions investments [15:26] that we made up front as we tried to adjust the Biden budget into an America First budget. [15:31] And so reallocating that away from those priorities is Robin Peter to pay Paul. [15:35] Those are allocated to rebuild. [15:37] But my point is if you can't spend it on a timeline that makes sense, [15:43] why do you need to come back and ask for more money? [15:47] Wouldn't it be better to spend money that you already have? [15:50] And one of the things I noted was, or at least I think that this supplemental doesn't include funding [15:55] to repair damage to our bases or to our military infrastructure in the region. [16:00] And I have not heard that we've gotten the full extent of any of those damage estimates. [16:07] So should we expect another request to address that military construction costs? [16:14] And at what point do you stop asking Americans to foot the bill for a war they don't support [16:19] on top of an inflated budget request and billions in reconciliation funds that you still haven't spent? [16:27] Well, Senator, I obviously don't agree with your characterization of that. [16:31] I appreciate that, but you didn't ask me. [16:33] But I want you to answer my question. [16:34] I know you don't agree with my characterization. [16:37] I don't agree with yours either. [16:39] Well, one of the reasons I take issue with that characterization is something that Senator Durbin said [16:45] when he talked about Ukraine and he talked about winning. [16:48] And I appreciate as much as anybody winning a war, [16:51] but I sit in front of a committee that wants to talk about winning a war that's been going on for four years [16:54] and talks about strategic defeat of a conflict that's been going on for four months [16:58] to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. [17:01] I would hope for some perspective in this town of the historic nature of what President Trump is undertaking. [17:06] Do you want radical Islamists to have a nuclear bomb that can stare down the world? [17:10] I don't want to hear your speech because I have limited time. [17:11] I don't understand. [17:12] So if you can't answer my question, then I will move on to my next question. [17:17] Secretary Rollins, the timber industry has also been hard hit, as you know, [17:22] by trade wars, by drought, by wildfires, by other natural disasters that are increasingly common. [17:29] In New Hampshire, which is the second most heavily forested state in the nation, [17:35] one of the things that we really need, as you know, because we've had this conversation, [17:40] is a research program and Forest Service staffing on the ground in a variety of ways, [17:47] but particularly at Bartlett Experimental Forest. [17:50] These small investments in research and staffing and sound management [17:55] help make the forest economies healthier and more competitive. [17:59] I very much appreciate your having staff visit Bartlett last week with my staff [18:04] and with staff from the governor's office, [18:07] but can you commit to restoring staffing at Bartlett [18:11] and to keeping the facilities there open [18:13] now that you've seen the critical nature of that research? [18:20] Why don't I follow up with you? [18:22] I have not gotten a report from their visit, so I would like to do that first, [18:25] but obviously you and I have been in a continuing conversation about that. [18:29] The good news, there's no doubt our timber industry is in distress [18:32] and has been for a long time. [18:34] The fact that we import 90% or something from other countries [18:37] of our lumber needs is crazy. [18:40] We're changing that, but the good news, [18:42] we had more board feet sold last year than any time in 30 years. [18:46] This year, we're going to exceed that target again, [18:48] so we're making the right moves on this, [18:50] but there's no doubt that research is important to that, as we've discussed, [18:53] and I'll follow up with our team, and then we'll reconnect. [18:57] Thank you. [18:58] I appreciate that. [18:59] As you pointed out, research is critical to ensuring [19:01] that the timber economy continues to be successful. [19:04] Thank you, Chair. [19:05] Thank you, Secretaries and General, for being here. [19:08] I want to start by paying my respects [19:12] to First Lieutenant Tyler Feehan of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, [19:15] who was among those killed in Jordan this weekend while serving our country. [19:20] His courage, selfless dedication, and unwavering commitment to duty [19:24] reflect the very best of our armed forces. [19:27] We extend our deepest condolences to his family, his loved ones, [19:32] his fellow service members, and remain forever grateful for his sacrifice. [19:36] Secretary, about 190,000 people in the state of Hawaii, believe it or not, [19:46] voted for Donald John Trump, and I know a lot of them, and I represent all of them. [19:51] And one of the reasons that they were enthusiastic about Donald Trump and you, [19:56] Mr. Secretary, was they thought that we were going to have a new foreign policy, [20:05] and that I think, I'm paraphrasing, but I think you characterized yourself [20:08] as a reformed neocon or some such thing, and people were pretty thrilled about the idea [20:13] that we were going to, that America First, in their mind, [20:18] meant that we were going to not do this kind of adventurism. [20:23] And so, I don't want you to answer me, I want you to answer them. [20:26] And I want to walk through the sort of stated objectives of this war at the outset. [20:34] Regime change. [20:36] We now have a younger and more radical regime, [20:39] depleting, eliminating their conventional missile capability. [20:46] It's true that we've depleted their conventional missile capability. [20:50] It's also true that anything the Department of War sets out to do, [20:54] it usually succeeds at. [20:56] So the question is not, do we kick ass? [20:58] It's when do we decide to use kinetic engagement [21:02] to extend our power across the globe? [21:07] And it's clear that Iran still retains enough conventional missile capability [21:13] to attack our bases and our interests in the region. [21:17] Now, it's true that the Blue Water Navy is destroyed. [21:20] It's also true, and you know this, that the IRGC has something that you may not call a navy, [21:25] but it's got capabilities to touch us with drones and missiles [21:31] and lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, preventing their nuclear capability. [21:38] It's also true that if you bomb the crap out of a place, [21:41] they're going to have less capabilities by the end of it. [21:43] But it's also true that we have not eliminated their nuclear capability. [21:46] And whatever duration we've set them back actually pales in comparison to the, [21:52] and I'll say it, the Obama nuclear deal, [21:55] which we did without having to put our people in harm's way. [22:01] And then the last objective, which has become a new objective, [22:05] is open up the Strait of Hormuz. [22:07] But the Strait of Hormuz was open before this war started. [22:12] And so you tell my constituents why this war is going so well. [22:20] I think you did accurately portray me as a reformed neocon, [22:24] and members of our generation in Iraq and Afghanistan watched administrations on both sides [22:29] try to project some remaking of a society in the image of America [22:33] that spent thousands of lives. [22:35] I mean, in Iraq, you know, 15, I don't know the exact number, [22:39] but tens of thousands between Iraq and Afghanistan, men and women lost. [22:42] President Trump said, we're not fighting stupid wars like that again. [22:45] And he hasn't. [22:46] That's why we haven't been trying to remake Iranian society, [22:49] but simply in a realist America first way, [22:52] ensure they never have a path to a nuclear bomb full stop. [22:55] And he has said as a candidate, and he said as a private citizen, [22:59] Iran can never have a nuclear weapon because radical Islamists with a nuclear weapon [23:03] will wield it over our head in perpetuity. [23:05] So President Trump ran on fighting wars differently, and we're doing so overwhelmingly. [23:10] And he was very clear as a candidate that Iran can never have a nuclear capability. [23:13] So I think he's directly on par with exactly what he said. [23:16] Let me get a question back in here. [23:16] I think we're understanding the limits of air power here [23:23] because we're basically at a stalemate. [23:27] Someone says the Strait of Hormuz is closed, [23:30] and we say, well, we've got a naval blockade, [23:33] and we're just going to see who blinks first. [23:36] And the truth is, in order to sort of change the balance here, [23:41] change the equation here, [23:43] some kind of escalation would have to be considered. [23:45] And if you're taking that off the table, then we are in a holding pattern. [23:49] And I go back to the original five objectives, [23:52] and none of them have been met. [23:55] Some of them have changed, but none of them have been met. [23:58] And with gas at now 4.02, [24:00] with the Brent crude hit 90 today, up from 72 weeks ago, [24:05] gas up about a buck nationwide, about a buck 50 in the state of Hawaii, [24:09] people want to know, why are we even doing this? [24:12] Thank you, Madam Chair. [24:14] Secretary Rollins, the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland [24:19] is one of the crown jewels of agriculture research in the United States. [24:25] And my question is simple. [24:26] Can we find some time to get together in the coming weeks [24:29] to discuss the situation there? [24:32] Absolutely, yes. [24:33] Thank you, Madam Secretary. [24:34] Yes. [24:35] Let me turn to the Iran War. [24:38] We recently lost three American heroes. [24:43] That brings the death toll for American soldiers to 18. [24:46] One is still missing. [24:49] Hundreds have been injured. [24:51] That's on top of the civilian death toll throughout the region [24:54] that now stands at several thousand, [24:57] including the over 150 people killed in the bombing [25:00] of an elementary school in Midnaab in Iran. [25:04] Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz is closed. [25:07] Gas prices today in the United States, again, spiked above $4 a gallon. [25:11] And that will also continue to push up costs for groceries [25:15] and other things that families buy. [25:20] Secretary Hexeth, you said in your opening statement [25:22] the best way to ensure peace is to prepare for war. [25:26] And I agree with you about deterrence. [25:29] I would also submit that the best way to ensure peace [25:32] is not to start wars, [25:34] because wars are a lot easier to start than they are to end. [25:38] General Cain, I heard your testimony saying [25:41] Iran will continue to be a challenge. [25:43] And I think it's pretty clear that that is, in fact, the case. [25:49] And, General, in order for you to develop a military strategy [25:55] to accomplish a particular objective, [25:59] you obviously need to know what those objectives are, right? [26:05] Yes, sir. [26:06] It all starts with what is the political objective, [26:11] and from that we derive military objectives [26:14] that support whatever that ends. [26:16] And as you say, that is a political objective. [26:19] Yes, sir. [26:20] So, Mr. Secretary, you've talked a lot about winning. [26:25] You've talked about winning in your testimony today. [26:27] You've talked about winning throughout the Iran War. [26:30] And we all like winning. [26:32] But I think the American people deserve a definition [26:36] of what it means to win in Iran, [26:42] because this war has dragged out for a lot longer [26:46] than certainly the President of the United States indicated. [26:50] Indeed, the President said on March 24th, and I'm quoting, [26:55] we've won this war. [26:57] This war has been won. [26:59] Do you know what the President meant by that back in March? [27:03] Well, Senator, I would just note that militarily, [27:06] I mean, Iran has been completely overmatched [27:08] and crushed from the beginning, militarily. [27:11] Their capabilities are nowhere near ours. [27:14] I would take issue with your characterization [27:16] that we started this war. [27:18] Iran started this war 47 years ago, [27:21] and they've killed thousands of Americans, [27:22] including our brothers on the battlefield in Iraq. [27:24] So, Iran has been targeting us for a long time. [27:27] Secretary, Mr. Secretary, let me just ask you this. [27:32] Since you said that what the President meant [27:35] by his statement on March 24th, [27:38] I think that we had sort of defeated Iran militarily. [27:43] But that is not the entire objective of this war. [27:46] I don't think there was ever a question [27:48] about whether the United States, [27:49] with its superior military, [27:53] could destroy a lot of Iranian assets, [27:56] military assets, or other assets. [27:59] That was never a question. [28:01] But when most people think of winning the war, [28:05] they think that that means the war is going to come to an end [28:08] because we've won. [28:10] And the President said back in March that we'd won. [28:12] So, I guess my question to you is, [28:16] how are we going to define winning? [28:20] I hear back in March, you said about the Iranians, [28:24] and I quote, [28:25] whether they will have a ceremony in Tehran Square [28:28] and surrender, that's up to them. [28:32] So, my question, Mr. Secretary, [28:34] reopening the Strait of Hormuz is necessary [28:37] in order for us to win, right? [28:39] That's just a simple yes or no question. [28:41] You asked me what the overarching objective is, [28:43] and I would say ensuring Iran never has a nuclear weapon. [28:46] That's been clear from the President from day one. [28:48] That's why Midnight Hammer was undertaken [28:50] to obliterate their nuclear sites. [28:52] That's why we're watching their nuclear sites. [28:53] That's why that was a part of negotiations, [28:55] ensuring that the next generation of Americans [28:57] don't have to deal with Iran that wields a nuclear weapon. [29:00] Since that's what you're leading with, Mr. Secretary, [29:02] let me just say this. [29:05] You said, after Midnight Hammer, and I'm quoting, [29:08] our bombing campaign obliterated Iran's ability [29:12] to create nuclear weapons, unquote. [29:14] Clearly, that is not the case, [29:16] based on your testimony today. [29:18] It's also a fact that the DNI, Tulsi Gabbard, [29:22] testified in front of the Intelligence Committee [29:24] that it was our assessment that Iran did not intend [29:27] to restart its nuclear program. [29:29] The President of the United States, [29:31] just about a week ago, [29:33] said Iran has committed not to develop a nuclear weapon, [29:35] which, of course, is a commitment they've made for many years. [29:37] We need to enforce that. [29:39] That's what we are doing under the JCPOA. [29:41] Thank you, Madam Chairman. [29:42] Secretary Hexth, [29:44] you're requesting billions of dollars [29:47] in supplemental funding for a war [29:49] that you said would last for weeks [29:51] and that the president has no plan or ability to end. [29:55] At the same time, this still unauthorized [29:59] and extremely unpopular war has caused gas, diesel, [30:04] fertilizer, and other essentials that New Yorkers [30:07] and our farmers need across the country [30:11] and has become much more expensive. [30:13] So how do I go back to New York, [30:16] and what would you say to them [30:18] who are seeing their health care bills rise [30:22] because massive cuts to Medicaid, [30:26] they've seen their grocery and gas bills rise, [30:29] and this unpopular and unauthorized war abroad [30:32] is a higher priority to this administration [30:35] than their ability to feed their families [30:38] and provide health care to their loved ones who are sick? [30:44] Well, Senator, you're talking about political trade-offs, [30:46] and our job is to deliver for the United States military [30:49] and the president of the United States, [30:50] and we look at the cost of a nuclear Iran [30:53] and we want to prevent that for future generations, [30:55] and that requires funding and supplementals [30:57] and this budget and next-generation capabilities, [30:59] and that's why we're here today to request some of that [31:02] to ensure we can ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. [31:04] So you're essentially saying, [31:06] you're asking for literally $1.5 trillion [31:09] for a war that President Trump said he already won. [31:12] You're asking for $1.5 trillion, [31:15] unlimited money for bombs, [31:17] but insufficient money for the American people [31:21] for their health care, their food, their housing, [31:23] and our farmers, Secretary Rollins, [31:28] who we have cut SNAP program, [31:30] we are not funding the losses from emergencies [31:36] that have happened in blue states, [31:38] particularly when we had frost. [31:40] That's not true. [31:40] False. [31:41] You're not funding it. [31:42] But back to you, Secretary Hegseth. [31:44] And I would like to respond to the fertilizer and the gas. [31:46] Have your chance, Secretary Hegseth. [31:48] There's no reason to be rude. [31:50] You are asking for unlimited money for bombs [31:53] when people can't feed their families. [31:55] And I don't know how this administration [31:57] intends to defend those decisions to the American people. [32:01] Not unlimited bombs, Senator. [32:03] I'm asking for the right bombs at the right time [32:04] to ensure we can deter our adversaries into the future. [32:07] And that's why this is a generational investment. [32:09] And it was the previous administration [32:10] that didn't fund this department. [32:12] The reason why they are so upset with you [32:15] and this administration [32:17] is because the words you have used in the past [32:20] don't add up about Iran specifically. [32:23] You said that we had obliterated, quote, unquote, [32:26] Iran's ability to create nuclear weapons. [32:28] The president made the same claim. [32:30] Yet eight months later, in February of 2026, [32:33] the president launched an active war [32:35] claiming Iran was within two weeks of having a weapon. [32:38] So when you say two very different things, [32:41] the American people don't know who to believe [32:43] or what to believe. [32:44] They just know they can't afford their health care, [32:46] they can't afford their food, [32:48] they can't afford housing, [32:49] and our farmers are continuing to suffer. [32:51] So, which is true, [32:53] was it obliterated or wasn't it? [32:55] What's the status? [32:57] The nuclear sites under Midnight Hammer [32:59] were obliterated, [33:00] but Iranians foolishly continued to attempt [33:02] to pursue nuclear capabilities, [33:04] which is why we destroyed their defense industrial base [33:07] and so many of the other capabilities [33:09] to ensure they can't get to a nuclear weapon. [33:11] See, we're staying laser-focused on the objective, [33:13] and you're trying to make campaign commercials. [33:15] No, we're not. [33:16] And that's fine. [33:16] So listen to this. [33:17] You also say that you made the missile program, [33:22] quote, destroyed and made combat ineffective, [33:24] quote, Iran's entire ballistic missile production capacity. [33:28] Every company that builds every component of those missiles [33:30] has been functionally defeated and destroyed, [33:33] and that the missile program existing stockpiles [33:35] were depleted and decimated, [33:37] almost completely ineffective. [33:38] So why are there missiles left to hit Jordan [33:41] and result in the loss of life of our brave men and women? [33:45] As we stated from the beginning, [33:47] the Iranian defense industrial base is effectively gone, [33:50] but they do have underground facilities [33:51] because they're the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, [33:55] and they've spent 47 years [33:57] trying to hide their missiles under mountains, [33:58] just like their nuclear capabilities, [34:01] because they would like to get a nuclear weapon [34:03] We just don't know what version of the war to believe, [34:06] because it's either over or it's not over. [34:08] It's within two weeks or it's not two weeks. [34:10] We have no missiles or we have missiles. [34:12] And that consternation is why so many New Yorkers [34:15] are perplexed, stressed out, [34:18] and find this war to be incredibly unpopular, [34:20] because they don't understand the choices [34:22] that the president's making. [34:23] They don't agree with those choices. [34:25] Secretary Rollins. [34:27] So you have cut over 160,000 New Yorkers [34:30] have been kicked off SNAP. [34:32] What do you have against hardworking New Yorkers, [34:35] children who need SNAP, and seniors who need SNAP? [34:37] Well, first of all, diesel is down under Biden versus today, [34:41] 581 versus 480. [34:43] Gas is down from Biden today from 484 to 386 today. [34:48] Fertilizer is down 56% from Biden highs. [34:52] Prices are higher than when you took office. [34:55] All of those prices are higher than when you took office. [34:58] So you are not making life better for New York farmers. [35:00] That is not true. [35:00] That is not true, Senator. [35:01] And let me tell you what New York is stressed out about [35:03] is the fact that your state is taking prime farmland [35:06] and turning it into a solar farms. [35:08] That is absolutely inexcusable. [35:11] For you to stay- [35:12] I have visited the New York farmers two times. [35:15] Two times in upstate New York. [35:17] The Senator's time has expired. [35:18] Thank you all for being here today. [35:19] Secretary Heggseth, [35:21] the American people either didn't want this war [35:24] from the start or were deeply skeptical of this war [35:27] because they have seen this country make the same mistake [35:30] over and over again in wars in the Middle East, [35:33] and that is to create either unrealistic [35:36] or open-ended objectives. [35:39] You said in March that the United States was, quote, [35:41] on plan to defeat, destroy, [35:44] and disable all of Iran's meaningful military capabilities [35:48] at a pace that the world has never seen before. [35:52] Obviously, as we've discussed here today, [35:54] that objective has not been achieved [35:57] and is not going to be achieved. [36:00] Iran is adept, more adept than even at the start of the war, [36:04] at hiding their capabilities or repairing after damage we have done. [36:10] There's an open report that when it comes to their missile sites [36:15] along the Strait of Hormuz, 30 of 33 are still operational. [36:19] I wouldn't believe all the open reports, Senator. [36:21] But I've also heard you say in this hearing [36:24] that the objectives now seem to be more limited [36:28] than they were at the outset of the war, [36:31] that this is about reopening the Strait [36:33] and this is about dismantling their nuclear capability. [36:37] And the president, of course, has said himself [36:38] that he thinks Iran has a right to a missile program. [36:43] So my question is pretty simple. [36:45] Is it correct that it is no longer a war objective [36:50] to destroy all of their military capacities? [36:53] This is what the president has said. [36:55] Have our goals been simplified to reopening the Strait [36:59] and to getting into a negotiation over a nuclear program? [37:03] Now, I don't think you have a realistic plan [37:05] to do either of those things, [37:07] but I think it's important for us to know what we're funding. [37:10] Are the objectives much more limited today [37:12] than they were when you made that statement in March? [37:14] So I think the objectives have been consistent [37:17] and clear from the beginning. [37:18] And I would contrast it to North Korea, [37:21] where a conventional buildup was used [37:23] to hide a nuclear capability that eventually evolved [37:26] to a point where it couldn't be contested. [37:27] And what Iran continued to do, [37:30] even after Midnight Hammer, [37:31] was try to build that conventional capability [37:33] to dare anyone to stop them from pursuing nuclear weapons. [37:35] So getting after their conventional capabilities, [37:38] missile launchers, defense industrial base, [37:40] their Navy was all part of ensuring [37:42] they can't blackmail us into pursuing a nuclear capability. [37:46] Laser focused on Iran will never have a nuclear capability. [37:50] That's the promise the president has made [37:51] and that he will keep in every way. [37:52] I think it's important. [37:53] It is still a war objective, either through military action [37:57] or through a diplomatic agreement, [38:00] to destroy and disable all of Iran's meaningful military capacities, [38:06] including their missile program. [38:08] As far as all, when we talked about that from the podium [38:11] at the outset of this, [38:12] we were talking about their defense industrial base. [38:15] And if you look at the metrics of their ability to make more, [38:18] it's been overwhelmingly destroyed. [38:21] Not everything, but overwhelmingly. [38:23] Now, do they have missiles in underground bunkers [38:26] because they're a terror state? [38:27] Sure they do, and we've acknowledged that from the beginning. [38:29] But their capacity is less today than it's ever been as a nation. [38:33] They obviously have significant capacity [38:35] to effectively disrupt the entirety of the Middle East [38:38] and oil flows out of the Middle East, [38:40] and that's not going to change. [38:42] Let me ask you one more question. [38:43] This is a request for supplemental funding [38:45] because you don't have the funding in your base budget [38:48] to do what you need to do, which makes questions [38:50] about the base budget relevant. [38:53] There's been a lot of attention, Mr. Secretary, [38:55] on the modernization of a luxury jet that was gifted [38:58] to the President by the government of Qatar. [39:00] Reports suggest that maybe as much as $1 billion [39:03] in your base funding, an extraordinary amount of money, [39:05] has been used for an upgrade, and the plane is back [39:08] in the shop for a second upgrade. [39:11] As far as I can tell, never before has an administration [39:13] not made public the amount of money for an upgrade [39:16] or a construction contract on a presidential airplane. [39:19] Obviously, we don't need or want to disclose the details [39:22] of that upgrade, but never before have you withheld [39:25] from Congress and the public the total amount of money. [39:29] I think there are two really important questions here. [39:32] One, will you make public the amount of money [39:34] that you are spending to upgrade this plane? [39:37] And two, can you commit to this Congress and this committee [39:41] that the President isn't going to take this plane with him [39:44] when he leaves office? [39:46] The only thing more insulting to the taxpayers [39:49] of spending money on a jet they don't need [39:51] would be for the President to take it with him, [39:54] to take it out of our military inventory [39:56] when he leaves office. [39:59] See, the Air Force has done an incredible job [40:01] making that a capable jet that ultimately, [40:05] but its capabilities and investment are classified [40:09] and shouldn't be talked about in public settings. [40:10] That's not what I'm asking. [40:11] Considering the security of the President of the United States. [40:13] Will you disclose the amount of money publicly? [40:16] I would imagine as part of the regular budget process, [40:19] that's something that we would look at. [40:20] And will you commit that the President will not take this jet? [40:23] But you have to look at the classification level [40:25] of certain things that are not devolved [40:26] for reasons of national security. [40:28] Will you commit that the President will not take this jet [40:30] with him out of federal inventory when he leaves office? [40:34] That's not a decision for necessarily me to make, [40:36] and ultimately we're grateful to have it in the fleet [40:38] for the Air Force to protect the President of the United States. [40:40] That's a deeply unsatisfactory answer to the American public. [40:48] Senator Peters. [40:51] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [40:52] Folks, welcome to the hearing today. [40:54] I apologize. [40:56] Is Senator Ossoff still here? [40:58] Oh. [40:58] I'm sorry. [40:59] I didn't. [41:00] I went out of order. [41:03] Senator Ossoff. [41:04] I'll yield my time to Senator Ossoff. [41:06] Thank you. [41:06] Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you all for your testimony. [41:11] And General Kane, let me just begin by expressing on behalf [41:14] of all Georgians our immense gratitude and admiration [41:18] for the service members who are making tremendous sacrifices [41:23] and conducting themselves with extraordinary selflessness [41:26] and professionalism on behalf of the United States [41:28] and our state's unified condolences and grief [41:33] for the families of the four killed in action [41:35] and our hope for a swift recovery for the nearly 100 wounded [41:39] over the last two weeks. [41:40] And thank you to you for your service to the nation. [41:44] Mr. Hegseff, you're requesting roughly $68 billion [41:49] for the department through the supplemental, correct? [41:54] 67, yes. [41:55] And yesterday, your department stated publicly, quote, [42:00] U.S. forces struck Iranian military command centers, [42:04] maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, [42:08] and air defense systems to degrade Iran's ability [42:11] to continue attacking commercial vessels. [42:13] That was a press release from your department. [42:16] Is that a broadly accurate characterization [42:17] of ongoing operations? [42:20] That sounds broadly accurate, yes. [42:22] On day 14 of this conflict, Mr. Secretary, [42:26] day 14, nearly five months ago, you stated that Iran's military [42:30] had been, quote, destroyed and, quote, [42:32] made combat ineffective. [42:34] That was on day 14 of the war. [42:36] Was that an accurate statement? [42:39] They didn't have a navy any longer. [42:41] It was completely sunk. [42:42] Their missiles were buried underneath a lot [42:44] of their underground facilities, [42:45] and their defense industrial base has been almost completely destroyed. [42:49] So as far as a military assessment of Iran's capabilities, [42:52] it didn't mean by any stretch of the imagination absolute zero. [42:55] Mr. Secretary, you stated that on day 14 of this conflict, [43:00] in the second week of the conflict, [43:02] you stated that Iran's military had been, quote, destroyed [43:06] and, quote, made combat ineffective. [43:09] Was that an accurate statement? [43:11] Yes or no? [43:12] Iran's ability to challenge the United States of America [43:15] at the level at which we're capable of. [43:17] That's not what I asked you, Mr. Secretary. [43:18] You said on day 14 Iran's military had been, quote, [43:21] destroyed and, quote, made combat ineffective. [43:26] Yes or no? [43:27] Was that an accurate statement? [43:29] What the American military has done to the Iranian military [43:32] is a historic military defeat. [43:34] Will you answer the question, under oath? [43:34] And they're ineffective in that context. [43:37] Three weeks later, you declared victory. [43:40] That was now nearly four months ago. [43:44] Three weeks after you'd already said Iran's military [43:47] was destroyed and combat ineffective, [43:49] you said, quote, Operation Epic Fury was a historic [43:52] and overwhelming victory. [43:54] You said Iran's military had been rendered, quote, [43:57] combat ineffective for years to come. [44:01] And you stated we had, quote, achieved every single objective. [44:04] Were those accurate statements? [44:07] It certainly was on behalf of the men and women in uniform [44:09] a historic military victory over Iran. [44:12] Had Iran's military been rendered, quote, [44:14] combat ineffective for years to come? [44:16] That was a statement that you made four months ago. [44:19] They had 160 naval vessels in the Blue Water Navy. [44:21] You need to answer the questions, Mr. Secretary. [44:22] And they're gone. [44:23] Their air force is completely combat ineffective. [44:25] You said four months ago. [44:25] And they don't have a defense industrial base. [44:27] Excuse me, Mr. Secretary. [44:28] So describe to me a country that doesn't have an air force, [44:30] a navy, or a defense industrial base. [44:32] And I will describe to you a country that does not have [44:34] an effective military. [44:35] Mr. Secretary, you stated. [44:36] It can lob missiles. [44:37] Mr. Secretary, you stated four months ago [44:39] that Iran's military had been rendered, quote, [44:43] combat ineffective for years to come. [44:46] Has Iran's military been for the last four months combat ineffective? [44:51] It's been set back not just years, but likely decades. [44:53] You stated we had, quote, you stated, you stated, [44:57] it doesn't mean it doesn't have capabilities. [44:59] Mr. Secretary, you stated we had, quote, [45:01] achieved every single objective. [45:04] Was that an accurate statement four months ago? [45:06] The main objective of this was to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. [45:10] Their main sites were obliterated. [45:12] We're watching over them and we're holding that issue. [45:14] If they don't give them up at the table, there's other ways we can take them away. [45:17] Early in the conflict on day three. [45:17] Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. [45:19] Mr. Secretary, early in the conflict, day three, [45:21] you said one of those core objectives was to, quote, [45:24] destroy the missile threat. [45:26] And as you restated on day five, to, quote, [45:28] obliterate Iran's missiles and drones. [45:31] Those were clearly and repeatedly stated core objectives of the campaign, [45:35] which four months ago you declared had been completed victoriously [45:39] with every single objective achieved. [45:42] Were those objectives achieved four months ago? [45:44] No one ever stated that every single missile was gone. [45:47] Ultimately, combat ineffective means they're not able to dig them out of their UGFs [45:51] and shoot at us. [45:52] Had the missile threat been defeated four months ago. [45:52] It doesn't mean they don't have underground facilities where they put missiles in them [45:56] and hold on to them because they're the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism. [45:59] So we never expected they would stop having capabilities to shoot. [46:02] The question is at scale against an opponent like the United States of America, [46:06] which went toe-to-toe with them, and Iran couldn't and cannot handle it. [46:09] You stated on March 8th, day nine of the war on 60 Minutes, [46:12] you assured the American people of Iranians surrender. [46:16] Does that remain your prediction? [46:19] Ultimately, Iran will never have a nuclear weapon to threaten the United States of America. [46:23] That has been the objective, and it remains so. [46:25] So just to review, you will not answer whether your statement made on the 14th day of the war [46:32] that Iran's military had been, quote, destroyed and made combat ineffective [46:36] was a truthful statement to the American people [46:39] as you sit here and ask for tens of billions more for the conflict. [46:42] But Senator's time has expired. [46:43] Had a historic and effective military campaign against the largest state sponsor of terrorism. [46:47] Won't answer the question. [46:48] Senator Peters is recognized. [46:54] Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to our witnesses here today. [46:58] I want to begin by first echoing my colleagues' comments that we've heard throughout the hearing here [47:05] and join them in mourning the loss of American service members who were killed in action these last few days. [47:12] My thoughts are with their families, with a service member who remains missing [47:17] and with all those injured during the strikes, and I will continue to pray for their families. [47:23] Secretary Hegssef, over the course of the war with Iran, I have repeatedly expressed concerns [47:31] regarding the administration's lack of a winning strategy and repeated contradictions about the state of the war. [47:38] Frankly, it doesn't help that you and your president continues to mislead the American people. [47:45] You and the president have repeatedly said that the war, as we've heard over and over again, is almost over or already won. [47:52] In fact, the president alone has said the war is almost over, more than 30 times. [47:59] On March 1st, the president said, we'll be done in four or five weeks. [48:03] On March 9th, he said the war was very complete. [48:06] On April 8th, he declared total and complete victory, 100 percent, no question about it. [48:12] On the same day you declared Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield, [48:18] a capital V military victory by any measure. [48:22] And yet today, July 21st, we have soldiers whose remains are sadly going to be returned to their deeply grieving families tomorrow. [48:33] Clearly, the war is not over yet. [48:37] After months of conflict, our strategy to win remains unclear. [48:41] I have long said the United States has the strongest military in history in the world, and I have no doubt that our brave service members can execute any mission and prevail in any battle. [48:52] But without a clear winning strategy, we're at risk of being in another forever war that'll put our service members in continued harm's way and continue to cost taxpayers billions of dollars. [49:04] Secretary Haigsev, despite your failure to win this war, you are back now before Congress asking for almost 70 billion dollars in additional funding. [49:16] You're asking the American people for a blank check, because once again, the Trump administration's efforts have been an utter and complete failure to win this war to this point. [49:26] So my question for you, sir, is how is your strategy different than what we've seen in the past? [49:33] So far, we have not seen a strategy that's been successful. [49:36] You mentioned nuclear material is the primary goal of the war. [49:39] It still exists. [49:40] We haven't dealt with that issue yet. [49:42] You talk about the destruction of missiles, and yet the missiles that we saw hit recent targets [49:47] are actually somehow more lethal, more deadly, more maneuverable than what we have seen in the past. [49:52] So they're obviously improving their munitions. [49:57] The Strait of Hormuz is still closed, reminding everybody it was open before the war. [50:03] Prices were lower for everybody until the war, and it still remains closed. [50:09] And of course, tragically, people, service members, our warfighters, who we care deeply about, are still dying. [50:17] So what's different, Mr. Hegseth, Secretary Hegseth? [50:21] I think your characterization of this incredible effort as a failure is reckless, [50:25] and I think it's irresponsible, and I think it smears the sacrifice of the troops that are out there [50:29] making on behalf of the American people to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. [50:34] Shame on you and others who call this a quagmire and a failure, and then you want to turn around [50:38] and say you support the warfighter. [50:39] Either you do or you don't. [50:40] Is the nuclear material still there, sir? [50:42] I can get you a ticket out to CENTCOM and talk to what those Americans are doing, how committed they are to this [50:46] effort, and how they want to ensure that Iran never threatens their families with a nuclear weapon. [50:51] It is that, that's the kind of intensity that our warfighters have about making sure that Iran [50:55] isn't capable of doing that. [50:56] Secretary Hegseth, did you, if you listen to my comments, you told, you would have heard me say [51:00] how amazing our warfighters are. [51:02] I heard failure. [51:03] The word, I heard exactly what you said. [51:05] I will tell you how I use the word failure, because I use the word failure to their leaders. [51:09] You, sir, are the failure. [51:11] Not the men and women who are on that front line. [51:13] Not the men and women who hold up their honor with distinction. [51:18] But if there's a lack of a winning strategy, they're in harm's way. [51:22] Their leaders have failed them. [51:24] And that's what's happening. [51:25] We have political leadership. [51:26] You. [51:27] You don't have a strategy. [51:28] You don't have a long-term plan to actually win this war. [51:31] Win the war. [51:33] The men and women are going to be able to do it, but they need to have leadership. [51:35] Of course we have leadership. [51:36] When will you show leadership? [51:37] Of course we have leadership. [51:38] When will you show leadership? [51:38] Why don't you show some leadership and stand up to your fellow Democrats who won't fund [51:41] the troops? [51:42] Who stand and play partisan politics while you don't give us the money? [51:45] You want to stand up here and talk about the troops? [51:47] You won't show any political courage to actually fund our department, because you have Trump [51:51] derangement syndrome and can't actually commit to anything meaningful. [51:55] So I put this on you, Senator. [51:57] Secretary Hagsov, you have trillions. [51:59] You have over a trillion dollars. [52:00] You're asking for one and a half trillion dollars. [52:03] It's not a question of money. [52:04] It's a question of leadership and understanding what it takes to actually win. [52:09] Political cowardice of Democrats who won't fund the troops. [52:13] The President's Office of Democrats will have a rechtist. [52:19] I don't want to do that. [52:20] I don't want to do it. [52:21] If there has been a long term, let's go home on a website. [52:22] You can't go home on a platform. [52:23] There you have trouble. [52:24] I don't want to do it. [52:24] I'm going home with a long term. [52:25] I don't know I'm going home with a long term.