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Iran War Cost Reaches $37.5 Billion, Pentagon Chief Says
The Pentagon's tab for the Iran war has hit $37.5 billion, with Hegseth warning of cuts to training without fresh funding. Democrats are linking the conflict to affordability ahead of midterms.
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The U.S. war in Iran has cost $37.5 billion to date. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers Tuesday he faced a skeptical hearing on the need for urgent funding. The figure includes certain aspects of the conflict and anticipated costs through September 30, Hegseth said. It was unclear how the Pentagon arrived at that number. A source told Reuters in March that the Trump administration estimated the first six days of the war had cost at least $11.3 billion.
Democrats seized on the price tag. With midterm elections six months away, they are linking the conflict to affordability. Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, said Trump was threatening escalation and war crimes, and suggested the conflict could become another forever war. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand told Hegseth that the administration's words had not added up, pointing to shifting timelines and targets.
Trump asked Congress last month for nearly $90 billion in additional funding, most of it tied to Iran. Republicans hold slim majorities in the House and Senate, so appropriations bills typically need Democratic support to pass. Both parties have complained that Trump and his team have not kept them informed about the conflict or his plans. Trump has repeatedly threatened targets including civilian infrastructure, which critics say would be a war crime.