Hegseth, Caine Testify in Support of Supplemental Budget Request

By Matthew Olay Secretary of War Pet Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Capitol Hill today, where the two leaders spoke in support of President Donald J. Trump's June 24 supplemental budget request to Congress. Totaling $87.6 billion, the request earmarks $67.1 billion — or over three-quarters of the entire package — in funding for the War Department. The remaining funds would go to agricultural assistance, international health and diplomatic security, and domestic infrastructure projects. "As you know, we live in a dangerous world that requires bold and swift action. Hence, this supplemental request for fiscal year 2026. This request is an urgent, necessary injection of resources to address the immediate needs of our department," Hegseth said at the outset of his remarks, adding that the supplemental funds would be part of, and not in addition to, the War Department's $1.5 trillion funding request for fiscal year 2027. Calling the overall request a generational investment to deliver peace through strength with a force so capable it would be "absurd for anyone to challenge it," Hegseth also spoke to the specifics of what the supplemental request would cover, stating that it would sustain the nation's military readiness to meet this year's new demands, as well as accelerate critical capabilities to replace and augment capabilities the military has used in recent contingencies. In terms of readiness, Hegseth said the supplemental request includes $20 billion to fund military pay, replace equipment used during recent operations, sustain forward-deployed forces and grow personnel strength while stabilizing shortfalls and sustaining the National Guard. As far as capabilities are concerned, the War Department is asking for $40 billion to expand production lines and expedite the delivery of high-demand munitions. "We're talking about solid rocket motors, [Joint Direct Attack Munitions], hypersonics and counter-drone capabilities. Additionally, we will use this investment to secure digital and space dominance, including resilient satellite networks," Hegseth said. "I've come to you today to request the necessary funds while in the window of opportunity, while time is still on our side," Caine said, noting that the U.S. currently faces a global list of military challenges in Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific region. "It is an imperative that Americans understand that the character of war is changing. Advances in technology are fundamentally and irreversibly changing the way we fight, which necessitates capital to properly arm America's military," Caine explained. When asked about the effects of not receiving the supplemental funding, Hegseth said military training now and into the future could be curtailed. However, the secretary said the supplemental budget request, as well as the overall fiscal year 2027 funding request, would allow the War Department to stay ahead of any shortfalls and ensure service members are fully funded. "So, rather than trying to play catch-up and make sure we're not losing training, we should be ahead of that curve, and that's where we think $1.5 trillion can get us," he added. A definitive floor vote schedule for the supplemental request has not yet been finalized.