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WASHINGTON

US lawmakers on Thursday criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for not submitting his department's fiscal year 2026 budget request.

"Unfortunately, we still have not received the FY 26 budget," Rep. Mike Rogers said at a hearing where Hegseth, along with Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified before the House Armed Services Committee.

Rogers said the delay is "absolutely unacceptable."

Rep. Adam Smith, for his part, said there is no budget transparency at the Defense Department.

"No strategy, no plan. ... but we have no idea, because there is no transparency and no follow through," Smith said.

Hegseth said the Pentagon's 2026 budget "provides a historic level of funding for military readiness, putting our warfighters and their needs first."

"The $961 billion budget request — more than 1 trillion in total for national security — ends four years of chronic underinvestment in our military," he said.

Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander told Hegseth that "you have testified that you want to be accountable for every dollar, every taxpayer dollar and where it goes."

"We can't do our job without your budget. When can we expect your budget?" asked Goodlander.

"You have details of it already, and you will have it very soon," replied Hegseth.