Secretary Hegseth presented a false choice to the Senate Appropriations Committee last week when he stated that "Either you do, or you don't" when faced with tough questions regarding the military operations in Iran.

The takeaway: If Congress writes the check, it supports the troops. If it asks what the mission is, it does not.

The reality is that congressional funding can provide troops with what they need for success, but it cannot replace the obligation and accountability of the elected and appointed civilian leaders who place our military in harm's way.