Pentagon says Iran war has cost US $37.5 billion

WASHINGTON — The cost of the United States' war in Iran has reached $37.5 billion so far, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday as he faced skeptical lawmakers for the first time since heavy bombings resumed and sought urgent funding for the increasingly unpopular conflict.

With six months remaining before the midterm elections, President Donald Trump's Republicans face a difficult battle to maintain their majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate. Democrats, meanwhile, are using public concerns over the Iran war and rising affordability issues to challenge the administration.

Hegseth told lawmakers during a hearing in Washington that the $37.5 billion figure included certain costs already incurred from the war, along with projected expenses through Sept. 30.

It remained unclear how the Pentagon calculated the figure. A source previously told Reuters in March that the Trump administration estimated the first six days of the war had already cost at least $11.3 billion.

Trump last month asked Congress for nearly $90 billion in additional funding, with most of the request tied to the Iran conflict. The move has intensified a political fight with lawmakers who have expressed frustration over the war ahead of the November midterm elections.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers have criticized the administration since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran on Feb. 28, saying Trump and his officials have not provided enough information about the conflict or his plans moving forward.

"The president is threatening escalation and war crimes, and suggesting this could be another forever war," Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, said during the hearing. Trump has repeatedly issued threats against Iran, including warnings involving civilian infrastructure, which critics argue could violate international law.

Trump's Republicans hold narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress, meaning budget and appropriations measures often require Democratic support to pass.

"The reason why people are so upset with you and this administration is because the words you have used in the past don't add up," Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said. "It's either over, or it's not over. It's within two weeks, or it's not two weeks. It's either missiles or it's not missiles."

Impact of War

Hegseth warned lawmakers that military training could be reduced without an urgent increase in funding.

The conflict has placed additional pressure on the Pentagon's nearly $1 trillion budget and raised concerns about funding for military operations, personnel, and future defense investments. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said the department would find ways to continue paying service members but acknowledged that maintenance and modernization efforts could face challenges.

Hegseth urged lawmakers to approve both the supplemental funding request and the administration's proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027.

"Not funding this department at $1.5 trillion, I believe, is the greatest threat that our nation faces," Hegseth said.

A fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran collapsed earlier this month, with both sides continuing daily strikes against each other.

The number of U.S. troops killed in the war has risen to 18, while around 430 service members have been injured. The Pentagon said Monday that 100 troops had been wounded since July 7, but 96% of them have since returned to duty.

In recent days, Trump has threatened to expand U.S. targets in Iran to include energy facilities and bridges, send ground forces to seize Iran's Kharg Island oil hub, and strike a deep underground nuclear-related site known as Pickaxe Mountain.

On Tuesday, Trump said the United States would eliminate the mountain facility "pretty soon."

-Reporting by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Patricia Zengerle, and Ryan Jones; Editing by Nia Williams and Lincoln Feast/Reuters