Pete Hegseth will face House panel first time since Iran war began, and he can expect some serious bipartisan grilling

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to testify publicly before the House Armed Services Committee on April 29, as reported by MS Now, marking the first time lawmakers will get to question him on camera since the U.S. war with Iran kicked off. While the hearing is officially set to discuss the Pentagon’s annual budget request, you can bet the conversation will quickly pivot to the ongoing conflict. This will be the first opportunity for Congress to publicly grill the Pentagon chief on the war.

This appearance, though the date could still shift, is undoubtedly going to focus on the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. There are mounting questions from members on both sides of the aisle about President Trump’s administration’s strategy, planning, and the endgame for this monthlong conflict, which has already sent energy prices soaring worldwide.

Since the war began, Democrats have been pushing hard for public hearings. All 27 Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee recently wrote to Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., who chairs the panel, stating their position. They emphasized that the military action against Iran makes it absolutely necessary for the Department of Defense to testify immediately and in an open setting before the committee.

The bipartisan pressure is definitely something to watch as Hegseth prepares for his testimony

In recent weeks, House Republicans have joined their Democratic colleagues in demanding more information from President Trump’s administration, really upping the pressure on top officials. This bipartisan push is a significant development, showing just how much frustration is building up on Capitol Hill.

Rep. Rogers himself, in an unusual break with the White House, told reporters last week that the administration needs to be more forthcoming in these briefings. He feels like the people sent to brief Congress are being very constrained, and that needs to change. Rogers was pretty direct, saying that they need to be able to give Congress more answers. He knows they have more information, but they’re being very tight-lipped, and Congress deserves more than what they’re getting.

Rogers’ comments came just hours after he, along with Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, and their top staffers, had breakfast with Hegseth and Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg at the Pentagon. They met specifically to discuss the ongoing conflict. Smith thanked Hegseth for the invitation, calling it a good and respectful conversation that he was glad they had.

Smith also made a point of thanking Rogers, as well as Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, and other Republicans for pushing the administration to share more information with Congress about U.S. military activities. It’s a testament to the shared frustration that Smith openly praised his Republican counterparts, saying, “God Bless Roger Wicker and Mike Rogers.” He added that a lot of Republicans have been very clear that this lack of information is a source of deep frustration for them.