Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine faced intense scrutiny on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, as they defended a historic $1.5 trillion budget request for fiscal year 2027. The proposal, representing a 50% increase in current defense spending, comes as the U.S. military remains locked in a prolonged naval blockade of Iran. While the Pentagon insists the funding is necessary to modernize the force and ensure "quality of life" for troops, lawmakers expressed deep concern over the mission’s ballooning costs and lack of a clear exit strategy. The global energy landscape is facing a massive realignment as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced it will officially withdraw from OPEC and OPEC+ on Friday, May 1. The departure of one of the world's top oil producers marks a significant fracture in the "special relationship" between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia and comes at a moment of extreme volatility for global oil supplies.