The Pentagon has informed senators it requires approximately $80 billion, primarily to fund the ongoing U.S. war against Iran. This request adds to a significant military spending boost already being pursued by President Donald Trump.
While the White House Office of Management and Budget has not yet submitted a formal request to Congress, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been actively engaging with lawmakers. A top deputy defense secretary reportedly informed senators of the $80 billion Iran war funding request last week, according to individuals familiar with the discussions. The Wall Street Journal initially reported on these developments.
The push for substantial funding for the Iran conflict occurs at a sensitive political juncture. Many lawmakers express skepticism about the agreement President Trump reached with Iran aimed at ending the war and are wary of subsequent actions. The administration has requested $1.5 trillion for the Pentagon, marking an increase of nearly 50% over current fiscal year funding levels.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated that a supplemental spending request from the administration for the war is expected, and that Congress will review it to determine its viability. "We need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to replenish, resupply a lot our munitions that have been depleted — not only just with what’s happening with Iran, but prior to that," Thune, R-S.D., stated.
Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg discussed the proposal with several senators last week, and congressional committees were notified that the $80 billion request had been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget. The Pentagon has not yet provided an immediate comment.
However, the funding package is expected to encounter opposition from lawmakers who disapprove of President Trump's decision to engage in hostilities with Iran and are hesitant to allocate additional funds to the Pentagon amid concerns about the high cost of living for Americans.
"You’re spending families’ hard-earned tax dollars on a war that many strongly oppose," Democratic Sen. Patty Murray stated during a hearing with Hegseth last month.
In addition to the Iran funding, Republicans aim to secure about $1.1 trillion through the regular appropriations process, which typically requires bipartisan support. They also hope to obtain an additional $350 billion later this summer, likely through a vote largely along party lines.
The Pentagon's requested amount is considerably higher than the $29 billion estimate for war costs that Hegseth previously provided to Congress. That earlier estimate included the replacement of depleted munitions, repairs to equipment, and operational expenses for deployed forces, but did not account for damage to U.S. military sites in the region.
This figure is also lower than the initial $200 billion the Pentagon had suggested as the potential cost at the war's outset. An early estimate placed the cost of the first week of the conflict at $11.3 billion.
Sen. Brian Schatz, a member of the Democratic leadership, anticipates that the final cost could exceed the proposed $80 billion. Schatz noted that he has not gauged Democratic support for an Iran-focused bill, stating, "I haven't found anyone who wants to do this."
Conversely, Republican Sen. Jim Banks views the funding request as more related to military stockpiles than the war itself. Banks suggested he would advocate for it within his state as an investment in the defense industrial base and reshoring defense production.
Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, argued that funding for an Iran supplemental cannot be considered independently. He stated it must follow an agreement between both parties on total spending for defense and non-defense programs. "then the rest of this would follow pretty quickly," Reed said.
Sen. John Hoeven, a member of the Appropriations subcommittee on Defense, has been collaborating with the administration to expand the package to encompass aid for disaster relief in California, Hawaii, and other areas affected by fires and severe weather, as well as agricultural assistance for farmers. "I think that’s the kind of combination that could pass," Hoeven commented.
Hegseth declined to answer questions from reporters on Capitol Hill late Monday. In a Senate hearing last month, when questioned about the war's cost, Hegseth responded by asking, "What is the cost of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon?" He acknowledged that the president's decision to confront the threat of a nuclear Iran "comes with cost — and we recognize that."