House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) on Wednesday slammed the Trump administration for failing to consult Congress before launching the military campaign against Iran, as new figures reveal the conflict has already cost American taxpayers at least $25 billion.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made his first appearance before the House Armed Services Committee since the war began, facing sharp questions from Democrats about the mounting price tag and the administration’s strategy. The Pentagon’s acting chief financial officer disclosed the $25 billion figure during the hearing.
“It emphasizes the need for us to have a war powers resolution and to get fully from this administration what their strategy is and what their exit strategy is,” Clark said during an interview on CBS News’ The Takeout with Major Garrett. “What we saw from the Secretary today, all of this should have been done before they went to war.”
The conflict, now past the 60-day mark, has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, disrupting the flow of about one-fifth of the global oil supply. International benchmark Brent crude briefly hit $126 per barrel on Thursday—its highest point since 2022—as negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program remain stalled.
According to AAA, the national average gas price has climbed above $4 per gallon, with West Coast drivers paying $5 to $6 per gallon. Clark described the impact on American families as “crippling,” noting that prices are up $1.25 per gallon on average since before the war began.
“$1.25 on average price per gallon from where we were before Donald Trump’s war is another pressure point on families who are already telling us they’re not making it,” Clark said. “I don’t understand why this administration that came in on two fundamental promises, lower costs and no new wars, has completely abandoned the American people.”
Hegseth is scheduled to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, where he is expected to face similar scrutiny. Democrats on Wednesday also grilled him over the recent firing of senior military leaders, including former Army Chief of Staff General Randy George, and his characterization of the conflict.
In his opening remarks, Hegseth defended the administration’s approach: “President Trump, unlike other president, has had the courage to ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon, and he’s ironclad in that, we had the best negotiator in the world driving that deal.”
The hearing underscored growing Democratic frustration with the war’s cost and lack of congressional authorization. Some lawmakers have pushed for a renewed war powers vote to curb the president’s authority, while others are calling for a clear exit strategy as energy prices continue to strain household budgets.
Read more: Hegseth Hearing Erupts Over Iran War Costs, Firing of Army Chief
Related coverage: Democrats Push Sixth War Powers Vote to Curb Trump's Iran Actions
