The New York Times published on 24 April 2025 a commentary titled "A Beleaguered Hegseth Wanders into His Forever War" by W.J. Hennigan.
The cost of the US military operation against the Houthis in Yemen is expected to reach $2 billion in May. The Houthis have shot down 6 $30 million MQ-9 Reaper drones and continue to resist. The author argues that the US will soon confront the same no-win decision that bedeviled Trump's predecessors in the Middle East: retreat or escalate.