Pete Hegseth vows to keep fighting Iran war amid political pressure
In a Nov. 5 video, the defence secretary called the war “courageous and historic” as Democrats prepared congressional investigations and lawmakers renewed pressure on his leadership.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a video posted on social media on Nov. 5 that the United States should continue the Iran war, defending the conflict after Republicans lost control of Congress in the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Hegseth called it a “courageous and historic effort” that would ensure Iran never gets nuclear weapons, Reuters reported. CBS News separately reported that he vowed to keep fighting Iran despite criticism linking the war to Republican losses.
Congressional pressure on Hegseth
Democrats, who won control of Congress, have promised investigations into Hegseth and his handling of the Pentagon, Reuters reported. Hakeem Jeffries, the top House Democrat, publicly asked why Hegseth was still in his position. Republican Representative Thomas Massie said he would reintroduce articles of impeachment against Hegseth the following week; that was a stated plan, not a completed action.
Vice-President JD Vance publicly questioned whether the war was worth its cost and said it cost Republicans control of Congress, according to Reuters. That was Vance’s assessment of the election result. Hegseth’s video defended continuing the war while lawmakers’ scrutiny of his Pentagon leadership was set to increase.
The war’s reported costs and oil-price reaction
The financial stakes extend beyond the Pentagon. Fortune reported that US military spending on the war had exceeded $47 billion, citing a Reuters report based on Pentagon data. That was above the $37.5 billion estimate Hegseth gave in July, Fortune said. The figures describe reported federal spending, rather than the war’s total eventual cost.
Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, estimated that the war had cost the average US household nearly $2,000, including about $1,100 in higher energy and transportation costs, Fortune reported. The household figure is an estimate, not a tally of every family’s expenses. Brent crude fell more than 9% on Nov. 4 as traders anticipated the election might push the White House toward a deal, Fortune reported, citing CNBC. President Donald Trump said he had no immediate plans to strike Iran, the report added.
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Sources and context
- Hegseth vows to keep fighting from Pentagon, defends Iran warReuters (republished by AL-Monitor)
- Pete Hegseth doubles down on Iran war in new video despite election lossesCBS News
- The Iran war has cost U.S. households nearly $2,000 each. New strikes could keep the bill climbingFortune
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.