WATCH LIVE: Hegseth and Caine appear for back-to-back House and Senate hearings

Published May 12, 2026 7:26am ET | Updated May 12, 2026 10:36am ET



War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine are set to appear for back-to-back House and Senate hearings on Tuesday.

The pair will first appear before the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee before moving to the Senate’s counterpart. They are expected to defend their $1.5 trillion request for the 2027 budget.

The Pentagon leaders are expected to face a fierce line of questioning from both Democrats and Republicans, which will likely focus on the cost and justification of the war in Iran.