Hegseth faces questions on overall Iran war strategy

The cost of the conflict in Iran is about $25 billion at this point, according to an estimate from the acting comptroller Jules Hurst, who revealed the number in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee Wednesday. Hurst is appearing alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine regarding the Defense Department's $1.5 trillion budget request . This is the first time Hegseth has publicly testified on the Hill since last June, months before the war in Iran began . The questions have focused on the Pentagon's efforts to ramp up production of critical munitions and ships to deter a threat like China, and some Democrats have so far questioned the Trump administration's overall Iran strategy regarding Iran, now that talks seem stalled. Democrat Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking member of the committee, said President Trump's remarks earlier this month that Iran had agreed to give up everything , including its nuclear program and its hold on the Strait of Hormuz, have not been borne out. "So wish fulfillment is not really a strategy," Smith said. …