The Pentagon has signaled to US lawmakers that it requires approximately USD 80 billion in additional funding, primarily to cover the costs associated with the war with Iran.

This request is expected to further inflate an already substantial increase in military spending proposed by President Donald Trump.

While the White House Office of Management and Budget has yet to submit a formal request to Congress, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been actively lobbying legislators on Capitol Hill, including during meetings held on Monday evening.

According to two individuals familiar with the matter, Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg informed senators last week that the funding request had been forwarded to the budget office, a development first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

This request emerges during a politically delicate period, as many lawmakers remain skeptical regarding President Trump’s agreement with Iran to end the conflict and express uncertainty about the future scope of US involvement.

The administration has already proposed a record-breaking USD 1.5 trillion defense budget, marking a nearly 50% increase over the current fiscal year’s military spending.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated that he anticipates a supplemental funding request from the administration and promised that lawmakers would review it thoroughly upon arrival.

"We need to make sure we're doing everything we can to replenish and resupply munitions that have been depleted, not only because of Iran but from previous operations as well," said Thune, a Republican from South Dakota.

While the Pentagon has declined to provide a public comment on the proposal, the request faces anticipated resistance from legislators who oppose the war and are wary of ballooning military expenditures while many Americans grapple with the rising cost of living.

"You're spending families' hard-earned tax dollars on a war that many strongly oppose," Democratic Senator Patty Murray remarked to Secretary Hegseth during a congressional hearing last month.

Beyond the Iran-specific funds, Republicans are seeking approximately USD 1.1 trillion through the standard appropriations process, which typically necessitates bipartisan backing.

They also aim to secure an additional USD 350 billion later this summer through a separate measure that could potentially pass along party lines.

The current USD 80 billion request is significantly higher than the USD 29 billion estimate provided by Secretary Hegseth last month, which was limited to replacing munitions, repairing equipment and covering operational costs for deployed forces; it did not account for the rebuilding or repair of US military facilities damaged during the conflict.

However, the latest figure remains far below the Pentagon's initial USD 200 billion estimate at the war's onset, where early projections pegged the first week of operations alone at USD 11.3 billion.

Democratic Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii warned that the ultimate cost could exceed the requested USD 80 billion, adding that there is little enthusiasm among Democrats for a war-focused funding package, noting, "I haven't found anyone who wants to do this."

Conversely, Republican Senator Jim Banks of Indiana framed the funding as a strategic necessity for replenishing stockpiles and bolstering the defense manufacturing sector.

"I would sell it to my state as an investment in our defense industrial base and bringing defense production back to Indiana," Banks said.

Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, emphasized that any supplemental defense package must be weighed against broader negotiations regarding overall federal spending, including non-defense initiatives.

Meanwhile, Republican Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota indicated he is collaborating with the administration to broaden the package to include disaster relief for states struck by wildfires and severe weather, along with agricultural assistance.

"I think that's the kind of combination that could pass," Hoeven stated.

Although Secretary Hegseth declined to address questions from reporters on Monday evening, he defended the conflict's costs during a Senate hearing last month.

Addressing the financial burden of the confrontation, he asked lawmakers, "What is the cost of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon?"

He acknowledged that President Trump’s decision to counter the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran carries significant financial implications, affirming that the administration is fully cognizant of those consequences.

Source: AP