Peters blasts Hegseth as Iran war toll rises and Hormuz stays shut
Why it matters: The clash came as U.S. strikes hit a 10th straight night, three service members were reported killed and gas prices rose.
Sen. Gary Peters sharply attacked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a Senate hearing Tuesday, accusing him of failing U.S. troops as the war with Iran widened. Peters pointed to the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, higher gas prices and the deaths of American service members, asking what had changed since the conflict began. Hegseth rejected the criticism and defended the campaign as necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. His testimony came as the United States carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran. The Trump administration is also seeking $87.6 billion in supplemental Pentagon funding, with most of it tied to the war effort.