The Kabul Tribune (KT) — The war in Iran has cost the United States $37.5 billion so far, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers on Tuesday, as he sought urgent funding from Congress after the resumption of heavy military operations, Reuters reported.
Testifying before lawmakers in Washington, Hegseth said the figure includes current war-related expenditures as well as projected costs through Sept. 30, 2026. He did not explain how the Pentagon calculated the total. Reuters noted that a source familiar with the matter said the Trump administration had estimated the first six days of the conflict alone cost at least $11.3 billion.
Last month, President Donald Trump asked Congress to approve nearly $90 billion in additional funding, most of it linked to the Iran conflict, setting the stage for another budget battle ahead of the November 2026 U.S. midterm elections.
Lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties criticized the administration during the hearing, saying they had not been adequately informed about the conflict or Trump's military strategy since the United States and Israel began strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, 2026.
Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, accused Trump of escalating the conflict and warned that some of his rhetoric, including comments about targeting civilian infrastructure, could amount to threats of war crimes.
Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand also questioned the administration's messaging, arguing that its public statements about the conflict had been inconsistent.
Hegseth warned lawmakers that without additional funding, the Pentagon would be forced to scale back military training and other operations. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the war had placed additional pressure on the Pentagon's nearly $1 trillion budget and could affect equipment maintenance and future military investment, although military personnel would continue to be paid.
Hegseth urged Congress to approve both the emergency funding request and the administration's proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget for fiscal year 2027, calling it essential to U.S. national security.
Reuters reported that a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran collapsed earlier this month, with both sides continuing daily military strikes. The Pentagon said the number of U.S. troops killed in the conflict has risen to 18, while about 430 have been wounded. It added that 100 service members were injured since July 7, with 96% having already returned to duty.
In recent days, Trump has threatened to broaden U.S. military targets in Iran to include energy facilities and bridges, deploy ground forces to seize Kharg Island, and strike the deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain nuclear-linked site. On Tuesday, Trump said the United States would target the mountain facility "pretty soon," according to Reuters.
