Pentagon Seeks $80 Billion to Cover Iran War and Other Costs
Picture: Reuters
The US Department of Defense needs an additional $80 billion in funding, Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg told lawmakers, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The report said Feinberg raised the funding requirement during phone conversations with members of Congress earlier this week, citing costs related to the Iran war and other defense expenditures.
It also added that a supplemental budget proposal, which may include funding for non-defense areas such as agriculture and disaster relief, could be sent to Congress in the coming days.
In April, a Pentagon official told Reuters that the cost of the Iran war had already reached around $25 billion, marking the first official estimate of the conflict’s expenses.
However, the total cost of the war, which began on February 28 with joint US and Israeli involvement, remains unclear and continues to be debated in Congress.
Earlier proposals seeking up to $200 billion in additional war funding faced strong opposition from lawmakers.
During an April House Budget Committee hearing, White House Budget Director Russell Vought said he did not have a precise estimate of the war’s total cost, as he defended President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion annual defense budget.
The proposed budget reflects Republican priorities ahead of the November midterm elections. However, voters are increasingly concerned about rising living costs, high energy prices, and the financial burden of the Iran war, adding pressure on the party to maintain its control of Congress.
Source: Reuters ( Adapted)
