U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth testifies before a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the Department of Defence’s FY27 budget request on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S. | Photo Credit: Reuters Skeptical Democrats confronted Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday (April 29, 2026) for the first time since the Trump administration went to war with Iran, touching off tense exchanges over a costly conflict with unclear objectives that has been waged without congressional approval. The hearing before the House Armed Services Committee was focused on the administration’s 2027 military budget proposal, which would boost defence spending to a historic $1.5 trillion. Mr. Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, stressed the need for more drones, missile defence systems and warships. Published – April 29, 2026 11:53 pm IST Share this: Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon Click to share on Nextdoor (Opens in new window) Nextdoor Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky Like this:Like Loading... Post navigation Lord Kallazhagar embarks on his journey to Madurai Heatwave conditions to continue in Mysuru district for a few more days