U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended a proposed $1.5 trillion [1] defense budget and military actions against Iran during congressional testimony Tuesday.

The hearing highlights growing tensions between the Trump administration and lawmakers over the legality of the Iran conflict and the sustainability of record military spending.

Hegseth appeared before House and Senate defense subcommittees, including the Senate Armed Services Committee, to address the administration's fiscal priorities for 2027 [2]. The Defense Secretary faced questioning regarding the duration of the conflict in Iran and the absence of explicit congressional approval for the military engagement.

Central to the testimony was the Trump administration's request for $1.5 trillion [1] for the 2027 fiscal year [2]. Hegseth said the $1.5 trillion defense budget request is a message to the world.

Lawmakers from both parties expressed reservations about the scale of the request. Some Republicans are pushing back on the $1.5 trillion request, saying it raises budgetary concerns, an unnamed House Republican said.

Democratic members of the committees focused their questioning on the stability of the executive branch. One Democratic lawmaker asked, "Is President Trump mentally stable enough to be commander in chief?"

The Secretary maintained that the spending is necessary to project power and ensure national security. However, the lack of a formal war authorization for the Iran operations remains a primary point of contention for the subcommittees.

“The $1.5 trillion defense budget request is a message to the world.”

The friction between the Pentagon and Congress reflects a broader struggle over war powers and fiscal discipline. By requesting a $1.5 trillion budget without a formal congressional mandate for the Iran conflict, the administration is testing the limits of executive authority and the willingness of the legislature to fund an open-ended military engagement.