00:00$25 billion and counting, Secretary Hegseth on the defense as lawmakers get their first chance
00:05to grill him about the Iran war. We are following a fiery face-off on Capitol Hill.
00:11And James Comey turns himself in, the former director of the FBI indicted a second time by
00:17the Justice Department. Comey's saying he's innocent and he's not afraid. We'll look at
00:22the charges against him. Following some breaking news on Capitol Hill, Defense Secretary Pete
00:27Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Kane, have been facing
00:32questions from lawmakers for the first time since the Iran war began. They are in the middle of a
00:38break and here in just a few minutes they're going to get underway again. But sparks have really been
00:42flying from the start here. At one point the ranking Democrat on armed services, Adam Smith, pressing
00:49Hegseth about the administration's stated purpose of the war to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear
00:55weapon, a threat the administration previously claimed was imminent. Take a look.
01:03Brian Todd is following this hearing for us. We're all kind of following this hearing because it is a
01:08it's a doozy, Brian. How do Hegseth's comments compare to what he said previously about the war?
01:13Well, Brianna, the sharp exchanges between Hegs changes and he has been accused of misleading.
01:18John Garamendi, the Democrat from California, basically accused Hegseth of lying and misleading
01:22the American public about the purpose of the war and about how the war has gone. But there's been
01:26other outlets is that the Iranians have not really agreed to anything. They want to postpone
01:31any talk of the nuclear program until after the blockade has lifted. Brianna, as you know, about
01:36until, you know, after the war essentially ends. That's when the where the Iranians are now saying
01:40it's not a quagmire. It's not a forever war like Iraq and Afghanistan. But he's also being asked about
01:49the cost of this war. That's right. He was asked about it. And the Pentagon's top financial or so
01:54there have been some exchanges about the loss of life. Thirteen American troops so far killed in
01:59this war, many more injured. And he was pressed on how long this is going to go on. He indicated,
02:05why would I signal that to the enemy? The administration, though, has signaled that very
02:11basically we're not going to go on as long as those wars lasted. But again, a little noncommittal on
02:16on exactly when this is going to end. Yeah. All right. We'll be staying tuned as this gets
02:19underway again. Brian Todd, thank you so much. Still to come, the Supreme Court tossing
02:24a Louisiana congressional map drawn to create a second majority black district. What this means
02:33for a landmark civil rights law. Plus, happening right now, King Charles and Queen Camilla are in
02:38New York. We are live in the Big Apple following their royal trip. Then later, a severe storm outbreak
02:45terrorizing parts of the country. Back now to the breaking news. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
02:50and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Cain, facing Congress today for the
02:55first time since the beginning of the Iran war. A short time ago, Secretary Hegseth was asked point
03:01blank how he thought the war was going. Here's the exchange. Let's retired Air Force Colonel Cedric
03:07Layton. Cedric, talk to us first just about your reaction to this price tag. I mean,
03:13I know a billion dollars doesn't buy what it used to, but twenty five billion dollars
03:17is a lot of money. We don't have an end in sight here. Put this into context for us.
03:24Yeah, Brianna, you're right. A billion dollars doesn't buy as much as it used to, but twenty five
03:28billion in his first court appearance after surrendering to law enforcement. So what should
03:33we expect from the second indictment of the former FBI director? We'll have that next.
03:37The most decorated Olympians in U.S. history says she could be ready to run it back. Gymnastics
03:44legend Simone Bauerhoods in Texas and Oklahoma leveled after tornadoes ripped through both states.
03:50Several people were injured in the sixth straight day of severe weather that has been terrorizing the
03:55Midwest and the South. Let's go to meteorologist Derek Van Dam on this. Derek, what are you tracking today?
04:02So now we're breaking news. The Fed announcing its decision on interest rates for the past year.
04:08Rates have held steady in the face of inflation, President Trump's tariffs and a deflating labor
04:13market. And this could also be Chairman Jerome Powell's last meeting. After eight years, his term
04:18as chair will be ending in just about two weeks. CNN's Matt Egan is at the back now to the
04:24breaking news
04:24on Capitol Hill right now. Secretary to some of the other headlines that we're watching this hour.
04:28London police have arrested a 45-year-old man in what is described as a terrorist incident.
04:35CNN News Central starts right now. To a lawmaker ahead about the questioning from this hearing
04:42that they experienced there and the answers that they got and did not get. Stay with us.
