Pete Hegseth asks Congress for billions more in military funding.Ukrainian President Zelenskyy fires his commander in chief after major protests.
And an Idaho teen’s death provides a glimpse into the effect that anti-trans laws have had on trans people in America.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Here’s what to know today.Hegseth estimates cost of Iran war at $37.5 billion and asks for more moneyAdd NBC News to GoogleSecretary Hegseth grilled over growing cost of war with Iran01:56Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he estimated the cost of the Iran war so far has totaled $37.5 billion, and he’s asked Congress for $67 billion more for the rest of the budget year.The new figures, which Hegseth revealed yesterday at a contentious Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, come as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slows to a near standstill and as President Donald Trump pledged retaliation for the recent killings of three U.S.
Service members.This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day.Sign up here to get it in your inbox.Hegseth’s $37.5 billion figure is higher than the $30 billion figure presented to lawmakers earlier this month.
Meanwhile, NBC News has reported that the Defense Department’s internal overall cost for the war so far is much higher: between $80 billion to $100 billion.The $67 billion extra that Hegseth is requesting is in addition to the $891 billion that has been approved for the Pentagon through Sept.
30.Trump is separately requesting $1.5 trillion for the 2027 fiscal year, starting Oct.
1.Senate Democrats clashed with the defense secretary over the lack of progress in a war that Trump has repeatedly claimed the U.S.has already won.
How Hegseth responded to Democrats’ questions.With shipping through the crucial Strait of Hormuz increasingly throttled, Iran has also opened a new front in its campaign to pressure the global economy by disrupting ano...