Key insights
- A US-Iran war, initiated in late February, is causing domestic political turmoil and rising gasoline prices, negatively impacting Trump's approval ratings. The Defense Secretary's testimony before Congress defending the war and criticizing Democrats highlights the deepening political divide. Rising oil prices and increased geopolitical instability present a bearish outlook for US equities.
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali
WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to defend the Iran war in fiery remarks to Congress on Wednesday, saying it was not a quagmire and attacking Democratic lawmakers as "feckless" for criticizing the unpopular conflict.
Hegseth was testifying before Congress for the first time since the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28 that has led to a surge in gasoline prices.
Trump’s popularity has taken a pounding since the conflict began and just 34% of Americans approve of the U.S. conflict with Iran, down from 36% in mid-April and 38% in mid-March, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
Democrats peppered Hegseth with questions about the open-ended conflict, with Rep. John Garamendi of California calling it a "quagmire" and "political and economic disaster at every level."
Hegseth responded angrily.
"You call it a quagmire, handing propaganda to our enemies? Shame on you for that statement," Hegseth said in response to Garamendi, and slammed "reckless, feckless, and defeatist" Congressional Democrats.
"Don’t say: ’I support the troops on one hand, and then a two-month mission is a quagmire.’ ... Who are you cheering for here? Who you pulling for?"