In a tense hearing in Washington on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced rigorous questioning from lawmakers concerning his recent decision to send troops to Los Angeles. Members of Congress from both parties expressed their growing frustration over not having received a detailed defense budget from the Trump administration.
Representative Rosa DeLauro from Connecticut critiqued Hegseth’s leadership, stating, “Your tenure as secretary has been marked by endless chaos.” Republican leaders echoed similar concerns, particularly focused on scrutiny over President Donald Trump’s ambitious $175 billion Golden Dome missile defense project.
The decision to deploy troops led to heated exchanges, with committee members and Hegseth at times raising their voices over each other. Persistent questions about the financial implications of sending National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles in response to demonstrations about immigration raids prompted Hegseth to turn to acting comptroller Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, who estimated the cost at $134 million. Hegseth defended the action, asserting that the presence of troops is essential for the protection of federal agents.
Hegseth suggested that there will be growing reliance on troops within U.S. borders under President Trump’s administration, emphasizing, “I think we’re entering another phase, especially under President Trump with his focus on the homeland, where the National Guard and Reserves become a critical component of how we secure that homeland.”
This assembly before the House Appropriations defense subcommittee marked a significant occasion as it was the first opportunity for lawmakers to question Trump’s defense chief since his confirmation. It is part of a series of three congressional hearings that Hegseth is scheduled to attend this week.
Congress members voiced their dissatisfaction with the delayed unveiling of the administration’s first proposed defense budget, which Trump has stated would be around $1 trillion, a sizeable increase from the current budget exceeding $800 billion. They also criticized the administration’s attempts to bypass Congress for various changes.
Among spending topics raising eyebrows were plans for significant budget allocations to transform a Qatari jet into Air Force One and a newly added $45 million parade for the Army’s 250th anniversary overlapping with Trump’s birthday.
Representative Betty McCollum of Minnesota pressed Hegseth about the deployment of about 700 Marines joining over 4,100 National Guard members to guard federal properties and personnel in Los Angeles, engaging in a contentious discussion about the operation’s costs. Hegseth avoided the questions but later referred to MacDonnell, who clarified the expenses cover travel, lodging, and food.
Hegseth emphasized that the deployment is necessary for ensuring that “those rioters, looters, and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we’re not going anywhere.”
The Posse Comitatus Act limits troops from policing American civilians on domestic soil unless the Insurrection Act is invoked, which Trump has not ruled out, stating, “If there’s an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We’ll see.” Later, when asked how he would characterize unrest as an insurrection, Trump was vague, simply noting, “I mean, I could tell you there were certain areas of that, of Los Angeles last night, that you could have called it an insurrection.”
During a separate budget hearing, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith stated that the Marines have not yet been called to action in Los Angeles and expressed confidence in their ability to execute lawful directives.
Defense committee members also scrutinized a recent unexpected drone attack by Ukraine, attempting to understand future funding for Kyiv. Although Hegseth acknowledged the drone assault signified progress in warfare technology, he confirmed that future funding for Ukraine would decrease, signaling reduced weapon system allocations. He conveyed the administration’s preference for a peaceful negotiation to resolve the conflict.
The U.S. has provided over $66 billion to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.
The House committee primarily focused on budgetary concerns, briefly touching on other controversies surrounding Hegseth’s early months in office, such as his dismissal of military leaders and suspension of diversity programs. Notably absent was any discussion of his use of a secure messaging app for operational communications.
Hegseth has concentrated his efforts on promoting internal social changes within the Pentagon, rather than engaging in significant international security dialogues. He recently addressed a national security conference on threats from China but opted for a reserved approach during a visit to NATO headquarters, avoiding a gathering where aid for Ukraine was a key agenda.