The war with Iran has cost the US some $37.5bn (£28bn) so far, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators on Tuesday, an increase of nearly $8bn since the last estimate in May. He said military training would have to be curtailed unless lawmakers approved an urgent funding boost, and he warned the Pentagon needed more money as hostilities with Iran resumed.
Hegseth made his first appearance before the Senate Appropriations Committee since the fighting restarted. He said he was seeking $87bn in congressional funding for his department, with $67bn of that intended for operations in the Middle East.
The hearing was interrupted several times by anti-war protesters, including shouts of
stop bombing our children in Iran and Palestine. Hegseth's testimony came at a pivotal time in the war after three US soldiers were killed in the Middle East.
The White House asked Congress in April for $1.5tn for the Pentagon over the next fiscal year, which would raise American military spending to an all-time high in the modern era.
Why Iran is risking so much over the Strait of Hormuz
The US launched a 10th consecutive day of strikes on Monday, and Iran retaliated with strikes of its own against the US and its allies in the Middle East. The defence secretary opened Tuesday's testimony by saying,
we live in a dangerous worldand said that required bold and swift action.
After being interrupted by protesters, Hegseth said his funding request came at an urgent time and that critical investments were needed to prevent adversaries from outpacing the US.
Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls that threaten our ability to also simply pay our service members, rapidly replenish equipment and munitions, and sustain vital operations without disruption,Hegseth said.
He added that every dollar appropriated would be used to build the
lethalityof US military forces and
reinforce peace through strength.
Senate Appropriations Committee chairwoman Susan Collins, a Republican, questioned Hegseth about the impact if the budget needs were not met. Hegseth said current and future training for military members would need to be cut without the funds, and he repeatedly blamed former President Joe Biden's administration for what he said was an underfunded military.
The most senior Democrat on the committee, Patty Murray, pushed back on the funding request, saying it
does not make a lot of senseand accusing the Trump administration of attempting to
skirt the normal appropriations process.
Asked by Democratic Senator Dick Durbin whether he had an estimate for how much the war in Iran has cost so far, Hegseth revealed the $37.5bn figure.
There had been no official government estimate of the US financial cost of the war since 12 May, when a senior Pentagon official put the figure at $29bn. The Pentagon previously told lawmakers the war had cost the US some $11.3bn in the first week.
Iran and the US agreed a ceasefire in April, but the truce broke down and hostilities resumed last week.
At Tuesday's hearing, New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand accused the Trump administration of seeking
unlimited money for bombsfrom Congress, while American citizens cannot afford to
feed their families. She asked why Hegseth was asking for tens of billions of dollars for a war the president said had already been won. Hegseth replied,
I'm asking for the right bombs at the right time.
Most Democrats are opposed to the supplemental funding request, and there is discontent in Republican ranks too. Some of the fiscal hawks in the Republican Party want spending cuts elsewhere to offset the budget.
Either way, the House of Representatives leaves town on Thursday and the two chambers of Congress will not be jointly back in session until September. Even if Republicans can muster the votes, it's going to be a couple of months before the Pentagon can get the funds.
The defence department on Tuesday announced the death of Sgt Michael Emmanuel Swinton, a 30-year-old active-duty soldier who was supporting overseas operations in Iraq. A day earlier, the military identified two US service members killed in action in Jordan as Pfc Isabella Gonzales, 19, and 1st Lt Tyler Feehan, 25.
During the hearing, Trump - who was not present - posted a list of US wars on social media, including how long they took to end and how many US soldiers died. He wrote that 18 had died in the US war with Iran, which began on 28 February.
How much has the war cost so far?
The war with Iran has cost the US some $37.5bn (£28bn) so far, according to Hegseth's testimony. That figure is nearly $8bn higher than the last official estimate in May, when a senior Pentagon official said the total stood at $29bn.
The Pentagon previously told lawmakers that the war cost the US some $11.3bn in its first week. No official government estimate had been released between 12 May and Tuesday's hearing.
What funding is Hegseth seeking?
Hegseth said he was seeking $87bn in congressional funding for his department, including $67bn for operations in the Middle East. He said the money was needed urgently and argued that without it the military would face serious shortfalls.
He told senators that the Pentagon would struggle to pay service members, replenish equipment and munitions, and sustain vital operations without disruption if the funds were not approved.
How did senators respond?
Senate Appropriations Committee chairwoman Susan Collins, a Republican, asked what would happen if the budget needs were not met. Hegseth said training for current and future military members would need to be cut.
Patty Murray, the most senior Democrat on the committee, said the request
does not make a lot of senseand accused the Trump administration of trying to
skirt the normal appropriations process. Dick Durbin asked for a cost estimate, prompting Hegseth to give the $37.5bn figure.
What else happened at the hearing?
The hearing was repeatedly disrupted by anti-war protesters, who shouted
stop bombing our children in Iran and Palestine. Hegseth also repeated criticism of Joe Biden's administration, saying the US military had been underfunded.
Kirsten Gillibrand accused the Trump administration of seeking
unlimited money for bombswhile Americans cannot afford to
feed their families. When she asked why he was requesting tens of billions of dollars for a war the president said had already been won, Hegseth responded,
I'm asking for the right bombs at the right time.
What is the political outlook for the request?
Most Democrats oppose the supplemental funding request, and some Republicans also object. Fiscal hawks in the Republican Party want spending cuts elsewhere to offset the budget.
The timing also creates a procedural challenge. The House of Representatives leaves town on Thursday, and the two chambers of Congress will not be jointly back in session until September. Even if Republicans can gather enough votes, the Pentagon is unlikely to receive the money for a couple of months.
What is the wider military context?
The US launched a 10th consecutive day of strikes on Monday, and Iran retaliated with strikes of its own against the US and its allies in the Middle East. Hegseth said the situation showed why the US needed bold and swift action in a dangerous world.
The White House asked Congress in April for $1.5tn for the Pentagon over the next fiscal year, which would raise American military spending to an all-time high in the modern era.
What casualties were announced?
The defence department on Tuesday announced the death of Sgt Michael Emmanuel Swinton, a 30-year-old active-duty soldier who was supporting overseas operations in Iraq. A day earlier, the military identified two US service members killed in action in Jordan as Pfc Isabella Gonzales, 19, and 1st Lt Tyler Feehan, 25.
What did Trump post during the hearing?
Trump, who was not present, posted a list of US wars on social media during the hearing. He included how long they took to end and how many US soldiers died, and wrote that 18 had died in the US war with Iran, which began on 28 February.
