The Swamp

Today in The Swamp: Thursday, March 19

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that the opening days of the U.S. war with Iran have already cost roughly $200 billion. He justified the expense by saying “it takes money to kill bad guys,” drawing sharp criticism for his rhetoric and lack of substantive briefing. The statement underscores the looming challenge of securing bipartisan congressional approval for such massive defense spending. Observers also note the administration’s defensive posture toward media scrutiny, raising concerns about transparency.