The secretary of defense is testifying to the House Armed Services Committee for the first time since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury—but will likely be asked other questions, too.

On Monday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth took part in a joyride on an Apache attack helicopter with friend Kid Rock. That will likely be the highlight of his week, as the Pentagon chief is scheduled to talk to Congressional leaders in both chambers on Capitol Hill—where the helicopter incident is almost certain to feature front and center.

This morning, Hegseth is testifying before the House Armed Services Committee. It will mark his first appearance before the panel since the onset of Operation Epic Fury on February 28. All 27 Democrats on the committee have called for public hearings.

“We believe the military action against Iran necessitates that the Department of Defense immediately testify, in an open setting, before the House Armed Services Committee,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), the panel’s chair.

On Thursday, Hegseth will return once again to the Capitol Building, this time joined by Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and acting comptroller Jules W. Hurst III. The three men will testify in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee to argue for the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) proposed $1.5 trillion budget.

Hegseth to Defend Trump’s “Golden” Programs

During his appearances, Hegseth is expected to advocate for the budget request proposed by President Donald Trump to fund multiple key programs—notably the Golden Fleet and the Golden Dome for America.

The Pentagon is expected to spend some $750 billion over the next decade on the Golden Dome missile defense system, in addition to $65 billion to build 18 warships and 16 support ships for the US Navy. Another $75 billion will go towards unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-drone systems.

The budget request is certainly good news for the big three aerospace and defense firms, with the DoD requesting to purchase 85 F-35 Lightning IIs, additional funding for the B-21 Raider long-range strategic bomber, and the F-47, the sixth-generation manned fighter that is the centerpiece of the United States Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.

Hegseth Might Be on Thinner Ice Than He Thinks

There has been no indication that Trump is displeased with Hegseth. However, according to The Hill, some Senate Republicans are “losing confidence” in the secretary and “would like to see him ‘move on’”—though ultimately they have no ability to push him aside, having already confirmed him.

Hegseth was confirmed to the secretary of defense post in January 2025. The Senate split 50–50 on his nomination, with Vice President JD Vance providing the tiebreaking vote in favor; his was the second nomination in US history to require a tiebreaking vote, following Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in 2017. The Hill cited anonymous Senate Republicans complaining that if the vote were repeated today, he would likely not receive Senate confirmation.

“The hollowing out of incredible leadership at the Pentagon has been a big concern,” one of the senators told the outlet. “It really came to a tipping point when [US Army Chief of Staff] Gen. [Randy] George was dismissed.”

George was abruptly pushed into retirement at the beginning of April. Two weeks later, Hegseth also fired Secretary of the Navy John Phelan after the two butted heads for months. The Pentagon chief was reportedly peeved that Phelan had sought to speak with the president over Hegseth’s head.

The defense secretary is also known to have a contentious relationship with Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, a close friend of Vice President JD Vance.

“I think he’s missing the mark on personnel. He has separated some of the most extraordinary generals that we’ve had in play. I don’t quite know what’s going on there,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told The Hill. Tillis suggested that “in some respects,” Hegseth may be “displaying the same lack of experience” that resulted in the firing of former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem earlier this year.

Hegseth may need to choose his words carefully, considering that it was testimony to lawmakers that was the final straw before Noem was forced to resign. 

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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