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Hegseth Defends $1.5T Budget Amid $40B Epic Fury Costs

5/1/2026

Summary

Hegseth Defends Budget

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the Armed Services Committee on April 29, 2026, defending the 2027 defense budget request of $1.5 trillion amid Iran war questions.
Acting comptroller Jules Hurst said Epic Fury has cost $25 billion, while Senators Tim Kaine and Angus King warned total could reach $40-50 billion with base repairs.
War Powers Act deadline that began on March 2, 2026 expires Friday, while several senators dispute Hegseth’s claim the cease-fire pauses the clock.

Summary

Legal Scholars Critique

Legal scholar Katherine Yon Ebright said the cease-fire argument lacks support in the War Powers Resolution.
David Janovsky of the Project on Government Oversight called the 1973 law ineffective at limiting presidential war powers.
Past conflicts such as Libya (2011) and Kosovo (1999) show presidents have sidestepped the 60-day limit by redefining hostilities.
Senate Republican Susan Collins stressed the Constitution requires congressional approval after the 60-day deadline, not a suggestion.

History

Historical Context

Congress passed the War Powers Resolution in 1973, then invoked it to approve the Jan 14, 1991 Authorization for Use of Military Force that launched the Gulf War. That precedent showed congressional control over large deployments. By March 2026 the War Powers Reporting Project had recorded 132 presidential reports, and senators such as Tim Kaine and Susan Collins now question executive claims about the 2026 deadline.

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Hegseth Defends Budget

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the Armed Services Committee on April 29, 2026, defending the 2027 defense budget request of $1.5 trillion amid Iran war questions.
Acting comptroller Jules Hurst said Epic Fury has cost $25 billion, while Senators Tim Kaine and Angus King warned total could reach $40-50 billion with base repairs.
War Powers Act deadline that began on March 2, 2026 expires Friday, while several senators dispute Hegseth’s claim the cease-fire pauses the clock.

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