Amna Nawaz
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WATCH: Kennedy presses top military officials for 'straight talk' on fallout if U.S. leaves Iran now
Posted
July 21, 2026
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July 21, 2026
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2:51Now PlayingSen. John Kennedy, R-La., pressed top military officials in a Tuesday hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The senator acknowledged that some of his colleagues want the U.S. to stop its military actions against Iran and bring service members home. He asked what would happen in that scenario.
Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, didn’t directly answer the question, saying the senator was raising a hypothetical and that it was a political calculation.
Kennedy asked the general whether Iran would "put tolls" on the Strait of Hormuz. When Caine said it was a hypothetical question, adding that he didn't know what the outcome would be, Kennedy saying, “This is serious as four heart attacks and a stroke.”
When Caine again demurred, prompting Kennedy to say, he then turned to Hegseth, who also didn’t satisfy the senator’s desire for “straight talk.”
Kennedy asked Hegseth if Iran would convene to build up its nuclear capabilities if the U.S. ceased operations. When Hegseth didn’t directly answer his question, the senator said, “We need straight answers.”
Hegseth, Caine and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins testified Tuesday before the Senate Appropriations Committee about the Trump administration’s $87.6 billion supplemental funding request, the bulk of which would be used for the U.S. war with Iran.
Their appearance before Senate lawmakers comes after the U.S. rolled out its 10th consecutive night of strikes against Iran. At least three American service members have been killed in recent days. As war between the two nations intensifies, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, forcing U.S. gas prices to jump again.
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