U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the U.S. military campaign against Iran has so far cost $37.5 billion, speaking during his first public congressional hearing since military operations against Tehran resumed.
Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hegseth said the figure includes part of the war’s current expenditures as well as projected costs through September 30. The Pentagon did not provide details on how the estimate was calculated.
A source told Reuters in March that the administration of President Donald Trump had estimated the cost of the first six days of the conflict at no less than $11.3 billion.
Last month, Trump requested nearly $90 billion in supplemental funding from Congress, with most of the package earmarked for the war with Iran. The request is expected to face opposition from lawmakers in both parties amid criticism over the administration’s limited briefings on the military campaign.
During the hearing, Democratic Senator Patty Murray criticized the Trump administration, saying the president was “threatening escalation” and signaling the possibility of an open-ended war.
Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also questioned the consistency of the administration’s public statements regarding the direction of the conflict.
Hegseth warned that failure to approve the additional funding would affect the readiness of the U.S. armed forces, potentially requiring cuts to military training programs. He called for a $1.5 trillion defense budget for fiscal year 2027.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, acknowledged that the prolonged conflict is placing increasing pressure on the Defense Department’s budget and could affect maintenance programs and future military capability investments, although he stressed that military personnel salaries would not be affected.
The developments come as military confrontation between the United States and Iran continues after a fragile ceasefire collapsed earlier this month, with both sides exchanging strikes on a daily basis.
The Pentagon said the number of U.S. military personnel killed has risen to 18, while approximately 430 others have been wounded, adding that 96% of the injured have already returned to active duty.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said the United States has not concluded its military operations against Iran, reaffirming that U.S. forces will continue targeting Iranian sites, including strategic facilities. He also declared that the “Pickaxe Mountain” nuclear facility “will be destroyed very soon.”
Source: Reuters
