Pentagon chief to testify on Iran war
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will face tough questions from lawmakers about the Iran war on Wednesday during his first testimony to Congress since the confict began.
Hegseth's appearance before the House Armed Services Committee - for a hearing on President Donald Trump's $1.5 trillion defence budget request - comes with the war still unresolved and the economic fallout from it continuing around the globe.
Lawmakers from both parties have previously expressed dissatisfaction with the information provided in classified briefings on the war, setting up a potentially fiery public hearing in which top US military officer General Dan Caine is also set to testify.
"Finally, Secretary Hegseth will come before the House Armed Services Committee this week. It is time to answer for this war of choice," Representative Maggie Goodlander, a Democratic member of the committee, said in a post on X.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference on US military action in Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, on 2 March 2026 (AFP)