{"id":173,"date":"2026-05-12T17:25:32","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T17:25:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=173"},"modified":"2026-05-12T17:25:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T17:25:32","slug":"hegseth-hearing-concludes-with-questions-on-long-term-strategy-in-iran-war-follow-live-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=173","title":{"rendered":"Hegseth hearing concludes with questions on long-term strategy in Iran war. Follow live updates."},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<div>\n<p><span>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth\u00a0told House lawmakers Tuesday\u00a0that the cease-fire with Iran remains in effect despite\u00a0recent exchanges of fire\u00a0as he faces another round of\u00a0bipartisan questioning\u00a0over the costs and endgame of the war.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=171\">What to watch in Tuesday\u2019s primaries in Nebraska and West Virginia<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>He just finished testifying before the Senate, where one Democrat said he\u2019s worried \u201cyou\u2019ve achieved a series of tactical successes but are on the verge of a strategic loss.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><b>Follow along live.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Trump asks White House dinner attendees who they want in 2028: Vance or Rubio? \u2014 12:59 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By Kaitlin Lewis, Globe Staff<\/p>\n<p><span>President Trump took a poll, by applause, during a dinner in the White House Rose Garden on Monday night, asking the crowd who theywant to see on the 2028 Republican presidential ticket.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Speaking at an event marking the start of\u00a0National Police Week, the president veered off course and spoke for several minutes about the next presidential election.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI don\u2019t know who it\u2019s going to be,\u201d Trump said from the podium. \u201cIs it going to be JD? Is it going to be somebody else? I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><span>Get Starting Point<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span>A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.<\/span><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><label>Enter Email<\/label><\/p>\n<div><button>Sign Up<\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>He then asked the crowd, \u201cwho likes JD Vance?\u201d, which was met with applause and a few cheers. Trump then inquired about Rubio; the Florida Republicanreceived slightly less applause in response.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>READ MORE<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Hegseth hearing concludes with questions on long-term strategy in Iran war \u2014 12:51 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The defense secretary\u2019s hearing for a subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee has concluded with Democratic senators repeatedly asking the defense secretary for clarity on what the plan is to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth was defensive and countered that the questions were ignoring the US military\u2019s successes in the war.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Senator John Kennedy offers encouragement and warning to Hegseth \u2014 12:50 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The Republican from Louisiana did not echo the administration\u2019s claims of victory in Iran, noting the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But Kennedy agreed with Trump that the US has long-term leverage with its blockade of Iranian ships and those aligned with Tehran. And Kennedy pushed back at Democrats that he accused of suggesting the US already has lost.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cYou\u2019re not going to win over my Democratic friends,\u201d Kennedy told Hegseth. \u201cIt\u2019s not worth getting your blood pressure up. Focus on other things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Kennedy added a muted endorsement of international alliances. He wasn\u2019t as direct as McConnell, but he concluded with advice:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cAmerica First does not have to mean America alone,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need all the friends we can get. They need to care their own weight. They need to pay their bills. But the more the better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Democratic senator closely questions Hegseth on strategy to reopen Strait of Hormuz \u2014 12:43 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Senator Chris Coons had some intense questions for the defense secretary after he claimed that the US essentially controls the Strait of Hormuz.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Coons repeatedly asked what the Trump administration\u2019s strategy is for reopening the waterway to commercial shipping.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIf we control it, how do we reopen it? And your average American is seeing this at the gas pump every single day as the cost of gas continues to rise,\u201d Coons told Hegseth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth responded defensively, saying the senator was being disingenuous and ignoring the US\u2019s \u201cincredible battlefield successes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Still, Coons said he was worried that \u201cyou\u2019ve achieved a series of tactical successes but are on the verge of a strategic loss.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Hegseth suggests Iran is accessing old drone supplies, not replenishing \u2014 12:37 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Some Democrats pushed back against Trump\u2019s claims of victory and Hegseth\u2019s assertions that Iran\u2019s military has been obliterated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, noted Iran\u2019s continued use of drones, which are inexpensive assets compared to\u00a0what the US has used\u00a0to prosecute the war.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth retorted that \u201cpulling a drone out of a cave that\u2019s been collapsed\u201d is not the same as \u201cproducing more drones.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Shaheen was unmoved, joining colleagues who have put Hegseth on the defensive deep into his testimony.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cBut if Iran still has almost 50% of their capacity and the ability to pull drones out of caves and still injure our allies and U.S. service members, then we have not won the war,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Defense secretary tells senators Trump has the authority to resume war \u2014 12:22 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>That posture has resulted in some tension between the Republican-controlled Congress and White House.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Presidents are legally required to gain authorization from Congress after 60 days of starting a war. However, the White House has argued that the 60-day deadline no longer applies because the war is currently in a cease-fire.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski voiced some skepticism to that argument. Pointing to the troops and warships deployed to the region, she said, \u201cIt doesn\u2019t appear that that hostilities have ended.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Murkowski has hinted she may bring legislation that would authorize the use of military force against Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Hegseth claims the US controls the Strait of Hormuz \u2014 12:06 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>He claimed to senators that \u201cultimately we control the Strait, because nothing\u2019s going in that we don\u2019t allow to go in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>It was a striking statement from the defense secretary at a time when Iran has seized control of the waterway, causing a global spike of fuel prices that\u2019s rippled through other economic sectors. In response, the US has tried to cut off all Iranian traffic through the strait as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth claimed \u201cthe economic pressure that creates on them greatly outstrips the pressure on us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Cuban diplomat slams Hegseth\u2019s testimony that Havana poses a threat to the US \u2014 12:01 p.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Ernesto Sober\u00f3n Guzm\u00e1n, the Cuban ambassador to the UN, said Tuesday that it is the US, not the small island country, that poses \u201can unusual and extraordinary threat\u201d to the world and international law.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIts acts of aggression and threats against Venezuela, Iran, Greenland, Canada, His Holiness the Pope, Palestine, Mexico, Cuba \u2014 and an endless list of others \u2014 demonstrate this to be true,\u201d Guzman said in a statement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>His comments came hours after Representative Mario D\u00edaz-Balart, a Florida Republican, asked Hegseth in a congressional hearing whether he believed the Cuban government poses a national security threat to the US The Pentagon chief responded, \u201cI do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>GOP senator pushes for the military to take a harder line on Iran \u2014 11:45 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>There are plenty of lawmakers, including Republicans, who are uneasy with President Trump\u2019s war with Iran. GOP Senator Lindsey Graham isn\u2019t one of them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>He drew a tough line as he questioned the Trump administration\u2019s efforts to draw down the conflict and questioned the decision to use China and Pakistan as intermediaries in peace negotiations with Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Graham\u2019s ire was mostly aimed at efforts by previous Democratic presidents to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. He said those efforts had \u201cfailed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Graham praised the current war with Iran as \u201cspectacular\u201d and said there should be \u201cmore to come.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Hegseth offers no timeline on details for how Ukraine aid funds will be spent \u2014 11:41 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The defense secretary wouldn\u2019t offer lawmakers a timeline on delivering a plan for what the military will buy with the $400 million that was set aside for Ukraine aid by Congress at the start of the year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth said he wanted to make sure US European Command, which has been tasked with determining what the money will be spent on, \u201cis fully informed in how they want to spend this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>However, Democratic Senator Chris Coons noted that \u201cit\u2019s May and this has been the law since January, and you or your representatives have been asked this repeatedly on a bipartisan basis by members of this committee.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth has only publicly confirmed that he\u2019ll spend the money about two weeks ago when he last appeared before Congress and just a day after Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell called out the Pentagon for withholding the funds in an editorial in The Washington Post.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Senator Susan Collins critiques Trump administration\u2019s shifting strategy on the Strait of Hormuz \u2014 11:31 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The Republican, who\u2019s in the midst of a reelection campaign for her Maine Senate seat, questioned whether the military anticipated Iran could take actions to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, told her the military\u2019s briefings to the Trump administration \u201ccover and consider the full range of things all the time in our careful consideration of military actions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But Collins, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, responded with criticism for the Trump administration\u2019s current strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIt seems there has been a different plan almost daily with dealing with this problem,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Collins late last month also joined Democrats to vote for failed legislation that would have forced Trump to halt the war with Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Hegseth treads carefully on China but says the US works with regional partners \u2014 11:29 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>When pressed by Senator McConnell about US-China relations, the defense secretary said he wouldn\u2019t speak for the president ahead of his Beijing summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But Hegseth said the US has \u201cworked very hard in that region, in the Indo-Pacific, with Japan, with the Philippines and others\u201d to prioritize US security and security for its allies around China.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth said US interests are \u201camplified by burden sharing of partners who recognize the shared threats that we face and are willing to invest alongside us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>He insisted that \u201cevery aspect\u201d Trump does regarding China \u201cis to ensure that American interests are advanced.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>McConnell had asked explicitly whether Trump is trying \u201cto preserve American primacy or simply to accommodate China\u2019s rise?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The senator also asked about Trump\u2019s commitment to navigational freedom in the South China Sea. Hegseth said, \u201cAmericans ships should \u2014 should sail freely. So should others.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>McConnell warns against the administration\u2019s budget approach \u2014 11:15 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The Kentucky Republican got into the weeds on the president\u2019s budget request, noting it\u2019s not a $1.5 trillion annual baseline. Instead, he noted it\u2019s a roughly $1.1 trillion request plus a supplemental bill.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The latter can be passed by \u201creconciliation,\u201d a process that allows the Republican majority the smoothest process to bypass Democrats\u2019 objections. But McConnell suggested the White House think about future years when Republicans may not have the Senate majority.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>He said the Pentagon\u2019s approach means it\u2019s putting necessary ongoing funding requests in the supplemental, one-time measure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>McConnell alluded to \u201ccontinuing resolutions\u201d that have become a common budget device for a divided Congress to extend agencies\u2019 funding even without a larger budget deal. But one-time funding, McConnell noted, cannot be included in those CRs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI\u2019m confused by the administration\u2019s failure to prioritize\u201d ongoing funding, the senator said.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Anti-war protester interrupts Hegseth\u2019s opening statement \u2014 11:09 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>As Hegseth started his opening statement, a woman stood up and pronounced, \u201cI am an Iranian American and against this war of aggression.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Within moments, she was removed from the hearing room by Capitol police offers, but she continued to tell the hearing room she was opposed to the war with Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>There are a handful more anti-war protesters wearing pink shirts sitting in the back row of the Senate hearing room, but they remained silent. Several of them stood and walked out while Hegseth was talking.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Senate Democrat overseeing defense spending says administration \u2018distracted\u2019 from military priorities \u2014 11:07 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Democratic Senator Chris Coons launched into a wide-ranging critique of how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is leading the military and raised concerns that his decisions are undermining US military priorities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI am concerned that we have a distracted administration and a distracted department,\u201d Coons said, adding that \u201cWe have a president who seems more focused on a $1 billion ballroom and a victory arch, rather than achieving actual victory.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Coons also questioned why the administration has withdrawn support from allies in Europe, including Ukraine, at a time when their drone defenses could aid US efforts to counteract drone attacks from Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Senator Mitch McConnell emphasizes the need for US alliances in a rebuke of Trump\u2019s approach \u2014 11:05 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Without naming Trump, McConnell sternly critiqued the president\u2019s belligerent approach to traditional US allies and he advocated for NATO and defending Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The former Republican Senate leader now chairs the Senate\u2019s Appropriations subcommittee. McConnell told Hegseth that strained relationships with democratic allies \u201conly serves our adversaries\u2019 interests and limits our capacity and deterrent power globally.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>McConnell, who voted against Hegseth\u2019s confirmation in 2025, said he wanted to see US assistance previously approved for Ukraine \u201creach their destination without further delay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The senator said such aid is not \u201ccharity,\u201d but part of cultivating relationships that can benefit the US in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI want to hear about the future of capacity building with committed allies and partners,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=169\">Eastern Mass. girls\u2019 lacrosse: Players of the Week for May 4-10<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWe have things to learn from our friends,\u201d McConnell added, alluding to Ukraine\u2019s success in drone warfare.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Hegseth\u2019s Senate hearing gets underway \u2014 10:41 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The defense secretary has started his hearing before a Senate appropriations panel after spending several hours Tuesday morning testifying before House lawmakers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The hearing room is packed and there are a handful of anti-war protesters in the audience as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Republican Senator John Kennedy greeted Hegseth with some friendly advice before the hearing got underway. \u201cDon\u2019t let them get you down,\u201d Kennedy told Hegseth.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>House panel adjourns with a final push for more information from the Pentagon \u2014 10:24 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The budget subcommittee adjourned with a final bipartisan push for the Pentagon to provide more details about its $1.5 trillion budget request for the coming year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The leading Democrat and Republican also noted the more professional tenor of the hearing, which did not feature the name-calling and other tense exchanges that have defined Hegseth\u2019s previous Hill appearances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThis is the way these hearings should be conducted, especially when it\u2019s dealing with national defense,\u201d said McCollum, the ranking Democrat, after urging Hegseth to answer the panel\u2019s questions by the end of next week.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI thank everyone for a respectful hearing, but we need the information, Mr. Secretary,\u201d she added.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Representative Ken Calvert, the Republican chair, clarified that the committee wants details both for the Pentagon\u2019s more immediate supplemental funding request and the larger proposal for fiscal 2027.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The subcommittee plans to more formally consider the administration\u2019s requests on June 11.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Hegseth says cease-fire with Iran remains in effect despite exchange of fire \u2014 10:00 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>He said \u201cit\u2019s evident\u201d the ceasefire remains in effect in response to questions from lawmakers Tuesday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cCease fire means the fire is ceasing and we know that has occurred while negotiations occur,\u201d Hegseth said even as the US military said it intercepted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz last week.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth also said restarting military escorts of merchant shipping known as Project Freedom \u201ccould always recommence should the commander in chief want us to<i>.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>As Trump heads to Beijing, Caine and lawmakers make clear China is a main focus \u2014 9:40 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Caine told the panel the Pentagon wants \u201ca range and mix of capabilities that create outsized dilemmas for XI Jinping and others that are out there, to ensure that we maintain and sustain deterrence.<i>\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>He added that it\u2019s \u201cour primary focus\u201d to assess the risks and ensure that Trump and Hegseth can always consider \u201ca range of military options across the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Caine\u2019s statement comes hours before Trump departs for a summit with Xi.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The Joint Chiefs chair was responding to Rep. Hal Rogers. The Kentucky Republican is among several lawmakers raising concerns about China.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Earlier, the chairman of the full Appropriations Committee, Tom Cole, said \u201cChina is modernizing its military at a pace and scale that is alarming.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Rogers, in his questioning of Caine, said he appreciated the administration\u2019s push for more money to bolster US manufacturing for weaponry but cautioned that \u201cwe\u2019re competing against the speed\u201d at which China can build up its military.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Cost of the Iran War climbs to nearly $29 billion \u2014 9:27 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The Pentagon\u2019s top budget official told Congress the Defense Department now believes the cost of Operation Epic Fury is \u201ccloser to $29 (billion).\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Jules Hurst, the Pentagon comptroller, told Congress in testimony Tuesday that the estimate has climbed from the $25 billion he provided lawmakers nearly two weeks ago \u201cbecause of updated repair and replacement of equipment &#8230; and also just general operational costs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Hegseth claims reports of munition shortages are \u2018overstated\u2019 \u2014 9:00 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>In response to lawmakers arguing the US military is facing issues in replenishing the bombs and missiles it has expended in the war with Iran, Hegseth said the Pentagon is \u201cwell aware of all those dynamics.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThe munitions issue has been foolishly and unhelpfully overstated,\u201d Hegseth claimed before adding \u201cwe know exactly what we have, we have plenty of what we need.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The comments come just days after Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly told \u201cFace the Nation\u201d on Sunday that it\u2019s \u201cshocking how deep we have gone into these magazines.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth fired back on social media saying Kelly was \u201cblabbing on TV (falsely &amp; dumbly) about a *CLASSIFIED* Pentagon briefing he received.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Hegseth sidesteps question about scaling back the Iran war \u2014 8:50 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The defense secretary wouldn\u2019t say anything specific about the next steps in Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWe have a plan to escalate if necessary. We have a plan to retrograde if necessary. We have a plan to shift assets,\u201d Hegseth told the subcommittee.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>He was responding to Representative Betty McCollum, the panel\u2019s ranking Democrat, asking whether the administration has a \u201cPlan B\u201d to scale back operations.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>US consumer prices rise 3.8% as Iran war sends energy prices higher \u2014 8:49 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The Labor Department reported Tuesday that its consumer price index rose 3.8 percent from April 2025. On a month-to-month basis, April prices rose 0.6 percent from March as gasoline prices rose 5.4 percent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called consumer core prices rose 0.4 percent last month from March and 2.8 percent from April 2025, relatively modest readings that suggest the energy price burst isn\u2019t spilling over much yet into other prices.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Inflation had been dropping more or less steadily since peaking with a 9.1 percent year-over-year spike in prices in June 2022, a surge caused by supply chain bottlenecks at the end of COVID-19 lockdowns and an energy price shock following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But inflation remained above the Federal Reserve\u2019s 2 percent target.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Then, the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, and Tehran responded by shutting off access to the\u00a0Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world\u2019s oil and liquefied natural gas passes. Energy prices rocketed in response.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Defense Secretary Hegseth defends \u2018historic\u2019 budget request \u2014 8:48 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth said the \u201cadmittedly a historic budget\u201d the Pentagon is requesting from Congress is \u201ca fiscally responsible budget, and it is a warfighting budget.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth argued that the Trump administration inherited a defense industrial base that had been \u201chollowed out by years of America last policies, resulting in a diminished capability and capacity to project strength.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>However, in contrast with his Congressional testimony two weeks ago, Hegseth struck a much softer tone and did not personally criticize lawmakers in his initial remarks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Representative Betty McCollum, a Democrat from Minnesota, specifically noted that \u201cit was disappointing that you referred to members of both parties as defeatist\u201d in previous testimony.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI will not question your patriotism, nor will you question mine,\u201d she added.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The defense secretary said the $1.5 trillion request also includes a large troop pay increase and \u201celiminates all poor or failing barracks\u201d while investing heavily in projects championed by President Trump such as the Golden Dome and Golden Fleet.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>House Appropriations Committee chair subtly pushes against Trump approach \u2014 8:40 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Representative Tom Cole, the top Republican on the powerful House money committee, added his concerns about Trump\u2019s approach on the world stage, saying \u201cAmerica First has never meant American alone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><b>\u201c<\/b>American power is most effective when it\u2019s exercised in concert with like minded nations who share our interests and our values,\u201d the chairman said in his opening remarks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>He added an endorsement of NATO as a \u201ccritical pillar of collective defense\u201d in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cAmerican strength is not diminished when allies shoulder their share,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s multiplied, and we must continue to sharpen our strategic advantages.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, did not explicitly mention the president or his criticism of NATO and traditional U.S. allies. But his remarks stood as a clear contrast to Trump\u2019s statements and approach.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Top Republican and Democrat open with concerns about Pentagon strategy \u2014 8:39 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert, a California Republican, and Ranking Member Betty McCollum, a Democrat from Minnesota, opened the hearing expressing bipartisan worry over the Pentagon\u2019s budget requests, especially to fund the Iran war.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>They repeated their request that the Trump administration offer a more detailed breakout of what the war costs and how the Pentagon would spend any budget increase.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cThe subcommittee needs to understand how the resources requested in this budget translates into real, measurable improvements in warfighting capability,\u201d Calvert said, adding that he has \u201cserious concerns\u201d about the request.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cQuestions persist about whether we are building the depth and reliance required for a high end conflict,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>McCollum noted that lawmakers have \u201casked several times for a complete update on ammunition levels, and it has not been provided.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Lawmakers begin hearing with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine \u2014 8:35 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The House Appropriations\u2019 defense subcommittee has opened its Tuesday session to hear from President Trump\u2019s top advisers on the Iran war.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The hearing is part of a series of congressional budget deliberations. The Pentagon is\u00a0asking for $1.5 trillion for fiscal 2027, a roughly 44 percent increase from the current US defense budget.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Hegseth has had\u00a0contentious exchanges with Democrats\u00a0in recent appearances on the Hill. But he\u2019s been a staunch defender of the Iran war even as\u00a0public opinion sours\u00a0on the conflict.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Supreme Court halts order for Alabama to use US House map with 2 largely Black districts \u2014 8:33 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>The US Supreme Court set the stage for Alabama to eliminate one of two largely Black congressional districts before this year\u2019s midterm elections, creating an opening for Republicans to\u00a0gain an additional U.S. House seat\u00a0in a partisan battle for control of the closely divided chamber.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The decision follows\u00a0a Supreme Court ruling\u00a0in April that struck down a majority-Black US House district in Louisiana as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, significantly weakening a provision of the federal Voting Rights Act.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Alabama officials had pointed to the Louisiana case as a reason for the Supreme Court to end a judicial order to use a court-imposed House map until after the 2030 census. The high court on Monday overturned that order and directed a lower court to reconsider the case in light of the Louisiana decision. That could free the state to instead use a map approved in 2023 by the Republican-led legislature that includes only one district where Black residents comprise a majority.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Trump is getting another medical checkup at the end of May, the White House says \u2014 7:55 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Trump is scheduled to see doctors for a medical and dental checkup this month \u2014 his fourth\u00a0publicized visit to medical experts\u00a0since returning to office \u2014 in what the White House describes as an annual physical and regular preventive care.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Trump, who turns 80 next month and was the oldest person elected US president, will see his doctors at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on May 26, the White House said in a brief statement Monday evening.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The president\u2019s health has been the subject of tremendous scrutiny, so much so that Trump said he\u00a0regretted getting imaging\u00a0on his heart and abdomen last year because it raised public questions about his health.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Trump has recently remarked how good he feels despite his years. Earlier Monday, Trump that he feels the same as he did 50 years ago. \u201cI feel literally the same,\u201d he said at an Oval Office event. \u201cI don\u2019t know why. It\u2019s not because I eat the best foods.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Hegseth is facing a new round of questioning from Congress on the Iran war and more \u2014 5:14 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will face a new round of questioning from lawmakers over the Iran war Tuesday, including some Republicans who have expressed concerns over the length of the conflict and its lack of congressional approval.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The powerful House and Senate subcommittees that oversee defense spending are holding back-to-back hearings to review the Trump administration\u2019s 2027 military budget proposal, which calls for a historic allocation of $1.5 trillion. But the discussions are expected to veer into the handling of a war that appears locked in a stalemate as higher fuel prices pose political problems for Republicans in the midterm congressional elections.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>READ MORE<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>US ambassador to Israel says Israel sent Iron Dome batteries, personnel to UAE to defend country \u2014 4:21 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>Israel sent Iron Dome anti-missile batteries and personnel to operate them to the United Arab Emirates to defend the country during the Iran war, the US ambassador to the country said Tuesday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The comments by Mike Huckabee underline the growing defense relationship between Israel and the UAE, countries long suspicious of Iran, as a shaky cease-fire still holds in the Iran war. However, the narrow Strait of Hormuz remains in Tehran\u2019s chokehold and negotiations between the US and Iran appear at a standstill for the moment \u2014 raising the risk of the conflict breaking out again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>READ MORE<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Trump and Xi appear intent on keeping deep differences over Iran war from overshadowing China summit \u2014 1:45 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>President Trump on Tuesday is set to leave for Beijing to meet with President Xi Jinping after weeks of trying, and failing, to persuade the Chinese government to use its considerable leverage to prod Iran to agree to US terms to end the two-month old war \u2014 or at the very least, reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Trump has veered between venting that China, the world\u2019s biggest buyer of Iranian oil, hasn\u2019t done more to get the Islamic Republic in line, and acknowledging that Xi\u2019s government helped de-escalate the conflict last month by nudging Tehran back to cease-fire talks when negotiations wobbled.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But ahead of the US leader\u2019s high-stakes visit, the White House has set low expectations that Trump will be able to persuade Xi to change China\u2019s posture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>READ MORE<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<h2>Trump is getting another medical checkup at the end of May, the White House says \u2014 12:02 a.m.<\/h2>\n<p><button><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<defs>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<clippath>\n<\/clippath>\n<\/defs>\n<g>\n<g>\n<\/g>\n<\/g>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>Link copied<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>By the Associated Press<\/p>\n<p><span>President Trump is scheduled to see doctors for a medical and dental checkup this month \u2014 his fourth publicized visit to medical experts since returning to office \u2014 in what the White House describes as an annual physical and regular preventive care.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Trump, who turns 80 next month and was the oldest person elected US president, will see his doctors at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on May 26, the White House said in a brief statement Monday evening.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The president\u2019s health has been the subject of tremendous scrutiny, so much so that Trump said he regretted getting imaging on his heart and abdomen last year because it raised public questions about his health.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=167\">Champion Thunder hold off tenacious Lakers 115-110 in Game 4 for another playoff series sweep<\/a><\/p>\n<p>READ MORE<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was defensive and countered that the questions were ignoring the US military\u2019s successes in the war.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":172,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Hegseth hearing concludes with questions on long-term strategy in Iran war. 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