Key facts
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged Pentagon plans to take Greenland and Panama by force if necessary.
- Hegseth refused to answer questions about his use of Signal chats for military operations during a congressional hearing.
- The Pentagon revealed the war with Iran has cost $25 billion to date.
- Rep. Seth Moulton stated an inspector general report on Hegseth's Signal use is imminent.
- The hearing highlighted a partisan divide regarding the war with Iran and the administration's foreign policy.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced sharp and often combative questioning from members of the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, with discussions centering on potential military plans and his use of the Signal messaging app. Hegseth appeared to confirm that the Pentagon has developed contingency plans to take Greenland and Panama by force if necessary, a revelation that drew criticism from some lawmakers.
During the hearing, Hegseth repeatedly refused to answer direct questions about his use of Signal chats to discuss military operations, including details about strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. This stance led to heated exchanges, particularly with Democratic members like Rep. Seth Moulton, a Marine veteran, who revealed that the Pentagon's inspector general report on Hegseth's Signal use is expected imminently. Moulton pressed Hegseth on accountability if classified information was compromised, to which Hegseth responded that he serves "at the pleasure of the president."
The hearing also touched upon the ongoing war with Iran. The Pentagon's chief financial officer disclosed for the first time that the conflict has cost $25 billion to date, a figure that Democrats argued did not reflect the war's true expense. Secretary Hegseth, however, characterized criticism from Democrats as "reckless" and "defeatist," contrasting it with Republican support, such as that expressed by Rep. Nancy Mace.
President Trump has previously expressed interest in increasing U.S. influence in Panama and suggested the U.S. military take Greenland, a move seen as strategically important amid rising tensions with China. However, a representative from the U.S. government at an Arctic Institute forum stated, "Greenland is not for sale."