Congress to Grill Defense Secretary Hegseth Amid Controversy and Budget Concerns
By LOLITA C. BALDOR and TARA COPP, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is bracing for intense scrutiny during three hearings on Capitol Hill starting Tuesday. Lawmakers are expected to question his management style and his use of the Signal messaging app to share sensitive military information, which has prompted multiple investigations.
Congress is also dissatisfied with Hegseth’s failure to provide insights on the proposed defense budget, rumored to reach $1 trillion, a significant jump from the current reading of over $800 billion. Among the spending controversies are hundreds of millions allocated for security upgrades on a Qatari jet designated as Air Force One and a $45 million military parade coinciding with Trump’s birthday.
Hegseth, who has prioritized social changes at the Pentagon, has faced criticism for sidelining issues like U.S. international security; he recently skipped a NATO gathering on Ukraine. His use of an unsecured messaging app for military planning came under fire after a journalist was accidentally added to the chat, creating a public relations debacle.
With lawmakers aiming to tackle military spending priorities, these hearings may set the tone for Hegseth’s tenure as Pentagon chief.
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