⚡️Massive fires in southern Russia, blackouts in occupied Crimea amid reported Ukrainian strikes.
Day: July 21, 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced fiery questions and protests Tuesday over the U.S. war with Iran, which he estimated has cost $37.5 billion so far, as Republicans prepare a $95 billion package to fund the military, along with other White House priorities.
Hegseth provided the new estimate, up from earlier assessments, during a combative Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, which came days after the Pentagon announced that three more American service members have died in the conflict, bringing the death toll to 17, and that more than 100 have been injured since early July. Several times protesters interrupted his opening remarks.
Hegseth said the supplemental war funding is an “urgent, necessary” injection of money, and with President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget a generational investment in the military.
“Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls,” Hegseth testified.
But Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the panel, warned of “another forever war.”
“This war is now spiraling out of control again,” Murray said.
President Donald Trump has said repeatedly that “a deal is near, and the war will be over soon,” she said. “But now, he’s asking for $70 billion more — and for us to just trust him it’ll all work out fine.”
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins were also testifying before the panel. The proposed budget package includes $60 billion and $12 billion for other national security needs, along with $10 billion for farm aid and $10 billion for voting law changes.
Before the hearing, the White House issued a statement urging support of the budget resolution, “without modification — immediately.”
War funding makes up the bulk of the GOP’s new budget proposal, one last priority package the Republicans hope to launch before lawmakers recess to campaign for the midterm elections. The package aims to help farmers struggling under Trump’s tariffs and to pay for voter law changes, none of it paid for with offsets.
Most Americans continue to disapprove of how Trump is handling Iran, according to an AP-NORC poll. Gas prices have spiked as Iran works to control oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. munitions are running low from the onslaught of American missile strikes and Trump has shifted away from his own campaign promise not to draw the U.S. into prolonged military conflicts.
Nevertheless, Trump has showed no signs of backing off the war, and the Republicans have largely refused to confront his strategy or use Congress’ power of the purse and war powers authority to halt the conflict.
“The commander in chief and the whole Department of War are working very hard to bring this to a resolution,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson at his weekly press conference Tuesday.
READ MORE: https://13wham.com/news/nation-world/white-house-seeks-87b-emergency-funding-as-iran-conflict-escalates-hegseth-testifies-dain-caine-trump-administration-strategy-senate-appropriations
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During remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke about the social media posts made by one of President Trump’s judicial nominees.
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MORE: Russian officials continue to project a facade of stability and control over domestic fuel supplies despite the fact that Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign has substantially reduced Russia’s oil refining capacity. The Russian State Duma appears to be using the Russian federal budget to alleviate the burden on Russian oil companies. It remains unclear how effective such measures will be in the near future.Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar)NEW: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi and appointed the Ukrainian Joint Forces Task Force Commander Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi as his replacement late on July 21.
Other Key Takeaways:
Russian authorities continue costly efforts to mitigate the loss of Russian oil refining capacity due to Ukrainian long-range strikes by subsidizing diesel imports.
The Russian government continues exerting legal pressure on Russian migrants likely to coerce migrants into military service under threat of deportation.
Polish authorities continue warning of a possible Russian provocation against NATO’s eastern flank.
Ukrainian forces struck Russian manufacturing infrastructure and military assets overnight on July 20 and 21. Russia launched 58 drones against Ukraine overnight.
Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Oleksandrivka direction and in northern Kharkiv Oblast.— https://x.com/TheStudyofWar/status/2079727839058772024
