On Tuesday (July 21), at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that without approval of the additional funds, the military may have to cut training programs. Additionally, it would become difficult to pay soldiers' salaries, rebuild weapons and ammunition stockpiles, and conduct ongoing military operations.
According to the Defense Department's proposal, $67 billion of the additional requested funds will be spent on military operations in the Middle East. Pete Hegseth said that in the current global security situation, quick decisions and adequate funding are extremely important.
Earlier in April, the White House sent a proposal to Congress for a $1.5 trillion allocation in the Pentagon's budget for the next fiscal year. If the proposal is approved, it will be the largest defense budget in modern US history.
Meanwhile, the conflict continues. On Tuesday, the US launched attacks on Iran for the 11th consecutive day. In retaliation, Iran has continued attacks targeting the US and its allies in the Middle East. This is increasing tensions across the region.
