Hegseth seeks to justify $1.5T budget while defending $25B war in Iran

In this episode of USA Today's The Excerpt, host Dana Taylor examines the escalating tensions surrounding the U.S. war in Iran, now in its 60th day and costing $25 billion, while the Pentagon seeks a $1.5 trillion defense budget—representing a 40% increase over the previous year. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth defended the war effort, claiming Iran’s nuclear facilities have been obliterated and that the U.S. is monitoring the region 24/7, yet offered no clear endgame. The episode highlights the legal and political crisis created by the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which requires congressional approval after 60 days of military action—now under threat of being ignored by the administration. Despite bipartisan concern, Democratic efforts to invoke the resolution have repeatedly failed, partly due to Republican fear of backlash from President Trump, who reportedly punished senators who defied him on similar issues. The episode also explores how rising gas prices, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and public pressure are shaping political calculus ahead of the midterm elections. As the deadline looms, the key question remains: will Congress assert its constitutional authority, or will the executive branch set a dangerous precedent for unchecked military power? Key takeaways include: 1) The U.S. war in Iran lacks a clear objective despite costing $25 billion and destroying Iran’s nuclear infrastructure; 2) The administration is using the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day deadline as a legal loophole, but legal experts dispute this interpretation; 3) Congressional inaction is driven by fear of presidential retaliation, not lack of concern; 4) Public pressure and gas prices are emerging as critical political variables; 5) The potential for a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) is being discussed, especially by moderate Republicans like Lisa Murkowski; 6) The Pentagon’s $1.5 trillion budget request is tied to both modernization and ongoing war costs; 7) The long-term precedent of executive overreach in foreign conflicts is at stake; 8) The upcoming midterms will be heavily influenced by how lawmakers vote on war powers. The episode underscores a growing democratic crisis in the balance of power between Congress and the executive branch.