Hegseth grilled on the Hill as Pentagon’s Iran war estimate grows to $29B

The episode of 'The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell' features Ali Velshi as guest host, delivering a scathing critique of Donald Trump’s ongoing war in Iran, now estimated to have cost $29 billion—$4 billion more than just two weeks prior. The segment highlights a growing disconnect between Trump and Pentagon leadership, particularly Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the actual state of affairs on the ground, including Iran’s regained access to most of its missile sites and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Lawmakers like Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro challenge the administration’s narrative, arguing the war has worsened U.S. strategic position, driven inflation, and harmed American families through rising gas prices and food costs. The episode also exposes the administration’s economic recklessness, including proposed cuts to Medicaid and child care, while demanding a $1.5 trillion defense budget. In a separate but related thread, the show investigates Trump’s vanity projects—the $13.1 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool and a $1 billion ballroom expansion—both funded by taxpayers despite Trump’s false claims of low costs and private funding. These projects, along with a proposed 250-foot arch, are framed as constitutional overreach and personal grifts that undermine democratic accountability. The episode concludes with a shadow hearing on the Jeffrey Epstein case, where survivors speak out about government cover-ups and the obstruction of justice by Republican-led oversight committees.