REFILE-UPDATE 1-Pentagon's Hegseth defends Iran war, says it is not a quagmire

​U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ​sought to defend ‌the Iran ​war in fiery remarks to Congress on Wednesday, saying it was not a ‌quagmire and attacking Democratic lawmakers as "feckless" for criticizing the unpopular conflict. Democrats peppered Hegseth with questions about the open-ended conflict, with ​Rep. John Garamendi of California calling it a "quagmire" and "political and ⁠economic disaster at every level." Hegseth responded angrily.

​U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ​sought to defend ‌the Iran ​war in fiery remarks to Congress on Wednesday, saying it was not a ‌quagmire and attacking Democratic lawmakers as "feckless" for criticizing the unpopular conflict. Hegseth was testifying before Congress for the first time since the U.S. and ‌Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28 that ‌has led to a surge in gasoline prices.

Trump's popularity has taken a pounding since the conflict began and just 34% of Americans approve ⁠of ​the U.S. ⁠conflict with Iran, down from 36% in mid-April and 38% in mid-March, the Reuters/Ipsos ⁠poll found. Democrats peppered Hegseth with questions about the open-ended conflict, with ​Rep. John Garamendi of California calling it a "quagmire" and "political and ⁠economic disaster at every level."

Hegseth responded angrily. "You call it a quagmire, handing ⁠propaganda ​to our enemies? Shame on you for that statement," Hegseth said in response to Garamendi, and slammed "reckless, feckless, and ⁠defeatist" Congressional Democrats. "Don't say: 'I support the troops on one hand, and then ⁠a two-month ⁠mission is a quagmire.' ... Who are you cheering for here? Who you pulling for?"