Hegseth Battles Democrats Over Iran War at 60-Day Mark

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s second day of testimony before Congress provided Democrats an opportunity to criticize the Trump administration over the Iran war, with lawmakers casting the conflict as illegal, unpopular and ill-defined.

As he had on Wednesday with House lawmakers, Hegseth traded barbs with Senate Democrats who blasted the Pentagon chief on a host of issues. There were stark divisions — largely along partisan lines — on the Iran war’s costs, military personnel and recruiting, strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and funding for Ukraine.

Hegseth kept up a defiant stance before the Senate Armed ...