Hegseth tells Congress Iran ceasefire is ‘in effect’ but cannot produce written agreement
Defense secretary says 'we know' ceasefire is active when pressed for documentation; dismisses concerns over weapons stockpiles as 'overstated'
WASHINGTON, United States (MNTV) – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a House subcommittee Tuesday that a ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains active, but struggled to answer lawmakers’ pointed questions about whether any formal written agreement exists between the two sides.
The sharpest exchange came when Democratic Representative Pete Aguilar pressed Hegseth on the ceasefire’s legal basis, asking who the parties to the agreement are, how many pages it contains and what documented terms exist.
When Aguilar asked how Congress could determine whether the ceasefire was active or not without any formal documentation, Hegseth replied simply: “We know. It’s evident, and the ceasefire is in effect.” Aguilar pushed back, asking whether lawmakers were simply expected to trust the administration’s assessment without a formal framework. Hegseth responded: “For the most part, a ceasefire means the fire is ceasing, and we know that has occurred while negotiations occur.”
Hegseth made the remarks alongside Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair General Dan Caine during testimony before a House Appropriations subcommittee reviewing the administration’s proposed 2027 defense budget.
The hearing also touched on the War Powers Resolution, with Aguilar referencing Hegseth’s earlier testimony that the ceasefire had effectively paused the 60-day clock under the act.
On military readiness, Hegseth defended the administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget, calling it “a fiscally responsible budget” and “a war-fighting budget.”
He pushed back against concerns about US weapons stockpiles, dismissing them as “foolishly and unhealthily overstated.” He said the administration knows exactly what it has and that it has “plenty of what we need.”
When Representative Betty McCollum asked whether the Pentagon had contingency plans should the ceasefire collapse, Hegseth confirmed that plans exist to escalate, withdraw assets or shift resources as necessary, but declined to provide operational details, citing the sensitivity of the mission and the administration’s goal of ensuring Iran “never has a nuclear bomb.”
The U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, triggering Iranian retaliation and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire mediated by Pakistan took effect on April 8 but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. President Trump later extended the truce without setting a new deadline.
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