Washington, May 13 (IANS) US lawmakers pressed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth over President Donald Trump’s upcoming trip to China, warning that allies such as Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines were closely watching whether Washington would stand firm against Beijing’s growing military and economic influence.China emerged as a dominant theme during a lengthy Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defence hearing on Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defence budget, with lawmakers from both parti…
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Washington, May 13 (IANS) US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth fiercely defended the Trump administration’s military campaign against Iran, clashed repeatedly with Democratic senators over the soaring costs of the conflict, and insisted the United States still “holds all the cards” despite continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.Appearing before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defence alongside Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine, Hegseth also sought to reassure allies in th…
Washington, May 13 (IANS) Democratic senators warned that the Trump administration risked dragging the United States into another prolonged Middle East conflict, as a tense Senate hearing exposed deep divisions over the ongoing war with Iran and its rising economic and military costs.During a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defence hearing on President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defence budget, several Democratic lawmakers compared the current crisis to past US wars in Iraq an…
Washington, April 23 (IANS) US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent rejected claims that Iran has gained financially from sanctions relief, telling lawmakers the estimates were inaccurate and overstated.Testifying before a Senate panel, Bessent dismissed assertions that Tehran had received billions in additional revenue during the ongoing conflict.“The $14 billion is a myth,” he said, pushing back against criticism from lawmakers.The exchange came during questioning by Chris Coons, who argued th…
Washington, April 23 (IANS) US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended a temporary sanctions waiver affecting Russian oil, saying it helped prevent a sharper spike in global prices, even as Democrats warned it could boost Moscow’s war finances and keep fuel costs high.Testifying before a Senate panel, Bessent said the move was aimed at stabilising supply during a volatile period.“Treasury was able to create the more than 250 million barrels on the water,” he said.He added that without th…
Washington, March 14 (IANS) Democratic lawmakers in the US Congress are pressing the Pentagon for answers after reports that a US strike during Operation Epic Fury hit a girls’ elementary school in Iran, killing at least 175 civilians — many of them children — prompting calls for a full investigation, accountability, and stronger safeguards to prevent civilian casualties.Members of the House and Senate said the incident, which reportedly occurred on February 28 near the town of Minab, coul…
Washington, Feb 24 (IANS) US President Donald Trump forcefully rejected media reports that his top general opposes military action against Iran, insisting that any such operation would be “easily won” if ordered, even as senior Democratic lawmakers warned against what they described as a rush towards another Middle East war.“Numerous stories from the Fake News Media have been circulating stating that General Daniel Caine, sometimes referred to as Razin, is against us going to War with Iran…
Washington, Feb 19 (IANS) A bipartisan group of senior U.S. lawmakers has urged Taiwan’s leadership to significantly increase defence spending, warning that partial funding of a supplementary defence budget could weaken efforts to deter PRC “aggression”. U.S. Senators Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Pete Ricketts, and Chris Coons, along with Representatives Young Kim and Ami Bera, led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the leadership of Taiwan’s Legislati…
Washington, Jan 4 (IANS) US Democratic lawmakers showed their anger and distress in the aftermath of the US raid on Venezuela and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.They said that Congress had not been notified in advance and that US President Donald Trump’s administration had previously lied to Congress about its goal in the oil-rich South American nation. Meanwhile, they demanded an immediate briefing on the operation and on the White House’s next move, Xinhua news agency reported….