Democrats Challenge Defense Secretary Over Submarine Funding, Budget Transparency

During a tense House Appropriations Committee hearing, Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro repeatedly pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for a clear, detailed plan and budget regarding the increase in Navy submarine production, criticizing him for failing to provide specific investment figures despite significant committee funding. Hegseth acknowledged the committee's investment but blamed challenges on the prior administration, which DeLauro rejected, demanding concrete financial details before considering further support. Meanwhile, Rep. Betty McCollum confronted Hegseth over delays in submitting a defense budget, criticizing the slow process as wasteful and risking national security, and questioned the funding for President Trump's upcoming military parade and troop deployments to Los Angeles and the border. The hearing also featured a heated exchange between Hegseth and McCollum over the 2020 Minneapolis riots, with McCollum downplaying the severity while Hegseth accused Minnesota's governor of abandoning a police precinct and allowing chaos, leading to a contentious back-and-forth on the House floor. Both DeLauro and McCollum expressed strong demands for transparency and accountability from the Defense Department on funding and operational decisions amid ongoing national security concerns.