Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth returned to Capitol Hill on Thursday for a second day of testimony, facing pointed questions from Senate members about the ongoing conflict with Iran and President Trump's $1.5 trillion defense budget request.
The Defense chief appeared before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, where he delivered what was described as fiery testimony during clashes with Democratic lawmakers over recent Pentagon leadership firings and $400 million in aid for Ukraine that had been temporarily withheld. Hegseth told representatives the funds have since been released.
The Senate confirmation comes as the Iran military campaign reached its 60th day Thursday, prompting Senate Democrats to prepare another war powers resolution vote under the War Powers Resolution Act, which requires presidents to obtain congressional authorization for hostilities lasting longer than 60 days.
Meanwhile, House Republicans are moving forward with a vote Thursday on legislation to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security while excluding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol operations from the bill.
What the Left Is Saying
Senate Democrats pressed Hegseth on the administration's handling of the Iran conflict without explicit congressional authorization. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) has been a leading voice on war powers, arguing that any military engagement requires formal Senate approval under the Constitution.
"The American people deserve to know what our strategy is and whether this president believes he can wage war without us," Kaine said in floor remarks reported by congressional staff.
On DHS funding, progressive Democrats have criticized the exclusion of ICE and Border Patrol from the homeland security bill. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, argued that piecemeal funding approaches undermine agency coordination and oversight.
"We cannot continue to govern through crisis and continuing resolutions," Jayapal said during a Wednesday press conference attended by Democratic staff.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called for transparency around the Pentagon leadership shakeups, saying his caucus would seek documents related to recent military firings that have drawn scrutiny from defense experts.
What the Right Is Saying
Republican senators defended Hegseth's handling of both the Iran operation and budget matters. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, praised what he called the administration's "decisive action" in confronting Iranian threats.
"The president has kept Congress informed through briefings, and I believe we are pursuing our interests appropriately," Wicker said during Thursday's hearing, according to committee transcripts.
On DHS funding, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) secured a key procedural vote late Wednesday adopting the budget blueprint for a reconciliation bill that would fund immigration enforcement without Democratic support. The speaker had initially planned to wait for full passage before addressing remaining DHS functions but moved up the timeline under pressure from the White House and Senate Republicans as personnel funding ran low.
"We are fulfilling our commitment to secure the border while keeping government funded," Johnson told reporters Wednesday, per materials distributed by his office.
Conservative commentators have backed the administration's defense posture. The Heritage Foundation's Defense Oversight Project called Hegseth's testimony "straightforward" on Ukraine aid and said Pentagon restructuring reflects legitimate reform priorities.
What the Numbers Show
The Trump administration has requested $1.5 trillion in defense spending for fiscal year 2027, a figure that represents roughly a 12 percent increase over current levels, according to budget documents released by the Office of Management and Budget.
The DHS funding bill up for House vote Thursday covers approximately 80 percent of the department's operations, excluding ICE and Border Patrol functions that Republicans intend to address through reconciliation legislation. DHS employs approximately 260,000 people across its component agencies.
The Iran conflict has reached day 60 as of Thursday morning, triggering automatic War Powers Resolution reporting requirements under 50 U.S.C. § 1543 unless Congress authorizes continued operations or the president certifies imminent threats requiring immediate action.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for a 6-3 majority Wednesday in upholding challenges to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act regarding electoral redistricting standards, a decision affecting how states may draw congressional and legislative maps going into November's midterm elections.
The Bottom Line
Hegseth faces continued questions from both chambers as the Iran conflict enters its third month without formal war powers authorization. Senate Democrats are expected to force another procedural vote on war powers within days, though any resolution would face a likely veto.
The House DHS vote represents the latest iteration of Republican efforts to separate immigration enforcement funding from broader homeland security operations. If the bill passes Thursday, attention will shift to Senate action and negotiations over personnel funding for border agencies facing potential payroll disruptions.
The Supreme Court voting rights ruling adds another layer of complexity heading into midterm election cycles, with both parties assessing implications for redistricting litigation already in federal courts across multiple states.