GOP Skepticism Clouds Hegseth’s Pentagon Budget Pitch

Republican lawmakers expressed misgivings about a proposed $350 billion defense spending boost as part of a plan to lift Pentagon funding well above current levels, insisting on pay-fors and offsets. In a Capitol Hill meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, many GOP members called for policy riders or reforms (such as voting rules or defunding certain programs) and an audit of the Defense Department before endorsing the package. Passage would require near-unanimous GOP support and reconciliation steps, amid Trump’s push for rapid approval, with Senate timing and specifics still unsettled.