Senators grill Hegseth over Iran war costs, insider trading claims

Democratic senators accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of exaggerating U.S. military progress against Iran at a contentious Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday (April 30).

Lawmakers pressed him on civilian casualties, war costs exceeding $25 billion and potential insider trading tied to the conflict.

Hegseth dismissed the criticism, calling congressional Democrats and some Republicans "the biggest adversary we face" and "reckless naysayers," while insisting no military works harder to protect civilian lives.

Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts confronted Hegseth over possible insider trading on advance knowledge of military operations and asked whether he had invested in defense-related funds before the war began.

Hegseth denied any such investments, calling it "a big fat negative."

-Production: Geraldine Downer/Reuters