The US Department of Defence needs $80 billion to cover costs from the Iran war as well as other non-war-related bills, Deputy Defence Secretary Stephen Feinberg told lawmakers in phone calls this week.
According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, a full US supplemental request, which would include money for the Pentagon as well as non-defence priorities such as farm and disaster relief, could be sent to lawmakers in the coming days.
According to the report, Defence Department officials said the military services could run out of money for operations this summer unless Congress passes a new wartime spending bill. Any supplemental Pentagon funding request would first need approval from the White House Office of Management and Budget before being submitted to Congress.
The Journal reported that the Pentagon was confident enough in the plan for Feinberg to brief lawmakers on it in recent days. One person familiar with the discussions said some of the money would go towards ship operations, personnel pay and munitions, among other things.
Feinberg's outreach to lawmakers also coincided with a meeting between Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior Republican senators on Capitol Hill this week, during which the possibility of additional defence funding requests was discussed, according to lawmakers.
The Iran war has so far cost around $25 billion, a Pentagon official told Reuters in April, in what was described as the first official estimate of the war's cost. However, the full cost of the conflict, which Trump began alongside Israel on February 28, has remained an open question on Capitol Hill, and an initial $200 billion request for additional funding met stiff opposition from lawmakers.
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In April, White House budget director Russell Vought told a hearing of the House of Representatives Budget Committee that he had no estimate for the cost of the war, as he defended Trump's request for a $1.5 trillion annual military budget. Separately, the Defense Department's budget for fiscal year 2026 stands at approximately $1 trillion. The proposed budget reflects Republican priorities ahead of November's midterm elections, where the party is trying to retain control of Congress while facing voter anxiety over rising living costs, high energy prices and the financial burden of the Iran war.
The latest discussions point to an $80 billion Pentagon requirement linked to the Iran war and other bills, with a broader supplemental package possibly set to go to lawmakers within days. The proposal still requires White House budget approval, even as officials warn that military operations funding could come under pressure this summer.
Published on: Jun 19, 2026 10:40 AM IST
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