Senator Murphy Accuses Hegseth of Hiding Iran War Costs from Public 2026

Senator Chris Murphy has accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of trying to hide the costs of the Iran war from the American public. The Connecticut Democrat made the claim after returning from a trip to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, where he witnessed firsthand the damage from an Iranian drone strike on the US embassy in Riyadh.

Murphy: Pentagon Blocked Access to Major US Base

Murphy said the Pentagon blocked him from visiting a major US base in Qatar, preventing him from seeing the full scope of the war's costs. "The Pentagon secretary, Pete Hegseth, was determined to hide the cost and the consequences of this war from the American public," Murphy told reporters. He sits on the Senate foreign relations and appropriations committees, giving him oversight responsibilities that he says were undermined.

Extensive Damage at US Embassy in Riyadh

Despite the blocked base visit, Murphy saw enough damage at the US embassy in Saudi Arabia to conclude that an Iranian strike would have been deadly had it occurred during the day. Two drones hit the compound in the early hours of 3 March, days after the US and Israel launched the war on 28 February. The building was reportedly empty at the time, and no injuries were reported. Saudi Arabia's defense ministry initially described the damage as minor, but Murphy called the destruction "extraordinary" and much more damaging than the public has been led to believe.

What the Drones Destroyed

According to Murphy, the drones caused extensive damage across several floors. The strike hit "an area of the embassy in which there are a lot of people," he explained. "Had that attack happened during the daytime, there's no doubt that there would have been many, many Americans killed." The attack set off a fire and sent black smoke over the district, contradicting initial Saudi claims of minimal impact.

Comparing Public Claims and On-the-Ground Reality

Key Takeaways

• Senator Murphy claims the Pentagon blocked him from a major US base in Qatar.
• He describes the damage at the US embassy in Riyadh as far worse than publicly acknowledged.
• Murphy accuses Secretary Hegseth of hiding the war's costs from the American public.
• The drone strike occurred on 3 March, days after the war began on 28 February.
• No injuries were reported, but Murphy says daytime attack would have been deadly.

FAQ