WASHINGTON — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth went to rhetorical war Thursday with Democrats during a combative Senate hearing, where he fielded tough questions about his military purge, concerns about insider trading, the conflict in Iran , and more. The famously feisty Pentagon chief was joined by a calm Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in testifying about President Trump’s eye-watering $1.5 trillion defense budget request for fiscal year 2027. Their appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee quickly became a platform for Democrats to air out their long list of grievances. “Mr. Secretary, this is your first public appearance before this committee in nearly a year,” ranking member Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) gumbled. “Since your last public testimony, you and President Trump have unwisely taken the United States to war with Iran.” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth mixed it up with Democrats during his Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday.…