Mounting GOP anger at Hegseth could hamper his $1.5T bid for military funds, report says

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is having trouble lining up Senate Republican backing for a $1. 5 trillion Pentagon funding proposal for next year, according to Semafor. Senators in his own party are uneasy about how the Iran war is going, his sweeping dismissals of senior officers, and his thin ties to Capitol Hill. He needs 50 votes, and even a 53 to 47 Republican majority may not deliver them, since Democrats are not expected to fill any gap, according to The Independent.

The proposal would raise spending 40 percent over the current year's level, with an additional $88 billion earmarked for the cost of the conflict. Operation Epic Fury started on February 28 and is now in its seventh month. The Independent reports it has cost American lives and resources, drawn retaliatory strikes on U. S. allies, and pushed up gas prices because the Strait of Hormuz is closed. Its unpopularity could hurt Republicans in the November 3 midterms, which would complicate the funding fight further.

An unnamed Republican senator said the war looks "haphazard" and that colleagues dislike the pulled promotions and firings of admirals and generals. An administration official warned of a standoff that could leave money for recruitment bonuses, housing, ship and aircraft repairs, and munitions unavailable, adding that President Donald Trump remains supportive of Hegseth. Thom Tillis said Hegseth has not built strong relationships, and Tim Sheehy said he must explain his case better.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →