Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Representative Seth Moulton, veterans of the Iraq War, clashed over the Iran conflict during a House hearing. Both Ivy League graduates who fought in Iraq, they now offer starkly different assessments of America's latest military engagement. Hegseth declared an "astounding military success," while Moulton warned the war could become a multi-trillion-dollar mistake like previous conflicts.

The Pentagon has already spent $25 billion on the Iran war, with Moulton projecting costs of at least $100 billion—still a fraction of the $2 trillion spent in Iraq and Afghanistan. The administration's lack of planning became evident when the Pentagon sent its only regional minesweepers to Singapore ahead of Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint.

The war's economic impact extends beyond military spending to American consumers. Fuel prices surged after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, with Moulton calculating the war could cost the average taxpayer about $600. "I am just wondering if they have 600 bucks lying around to pay for your war?" the congressman challenged Hegseth, highlighting the financial burden ordinary citizens face amid mounting military expenditures.