Report: Pentagon Requests $80 Billion for Iran War and Other Expenses
By garrisonvance // 2026-06-26
Copy
 
The Department of War has informed lawmakers it needs $80 billion to cover costs from the Iran war and other non-war-related bills, according to a Wall Street Journal report published on June 18. Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg conveyed the request in phone calls to lawmakers that same week, citing people familiar with the matter. A full supplemental appropriations request, including funding for non-defense items such as farm and disaster relief, could be sent to Congress in the coming days, the newspaper added. Reuters could not independently verify the report. The Pentagon declined to comment, and the White House was not immediately available for comment outside business hours. [1] [2]

War Cost Estimates and Previous Requests

The Iran war has cost approximately $25 billion, a Pentagon official told Reuters in April, providing the first official estimate. However, the full cost of the conflict, which began alongside Israel on Feb. 28, has remained an open question on Capitol Hill. An initial $200 billion request for additional funding met stiff opposition from lawmakers. Independent estimates have placed the cost significantly higher. Stephen Semler, co-founder of the Security Policy Reform Institute, calculated the war cost $71.8 billion in its first 60 days, or about $1.2 billion per day. [3] The Penn Wharton Budget Model projected direct costs could reach up to $47 billion through the end of April. [4] A report revealed the Pentagon’s $25 billion figure is a lowball estimate that does not include extensive damage to U.S. military bases. [5]

Congressional and Political Reactions

Lawmakers have expressed concern over rising war costs amid growing voter anxiety about living costs, energy prices, and the financial burden of the conflict, according to the cited WSJ report. [17] The request comes as Republicans aim to retain control of Congress in the November midterm elections. Democratic Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts introduced the "Slash the Pentagon Act" to cap the military budget at half of the administration’s requested $1.5 trillion, arguing that the money should instead fund healthcare, education, and other domestic needs. [6] Meanwhile, a poll by the Eurasia Group’s Institute for Global Affairs found that nearly half of Americans believe that the war has made the United States less safe, including nearly a quarter of Republicans. [7]

Broader Defense Budget Context

The $80 billion request is separate from the administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion annual military budget for fiscal year 2027, which White House budget director Russell Vought defended at an April hearing. [8] The supplemental request also comes as the Pentagon seeks $104 billion for its nuclear weapons programs, a 19.5% increase to modernize the U.S. nuclear triad. [9] Meanwhile, the DoW has failed its annual audit for the sixth consecutive year, and it was unable to account for 63% of nearly $4 trillion in taxpayer money. [10] Critics have long pointed to the military-industrial complex’s capture of Congress, a trend that Senator John McCain in 2011 said had "become much worse than President Eisenhower originally envisioned." [11] Total U.S. military spending in 2025 exceeded $921 billion, larger than the combined defense budgets of the next eight countries. [12]

Outlook and Next Steps

The White House is expected to submit a formal supplemental request to lawmakers in the near future, the WSJ reported. [17] Congressional leaders will need to negotiate the request amid competing priorities and fiscal constraints. The outcome may affect military planning and operations, as well as broader budget negotiations ahead of the midterm elections. The conflict has severely depleted U.S. missile stocks. The Pentagon will require three to five years to replenish Tomahawk, Patriot, and THAAD missiles, creating a "window of vulnerability” for a potential conflict with China, according to a Center for Strategic and International Studies report. [13] The long-term cost of the war, combined with the proposed $1.5 trillion military budget and additions such as a $1.2 trillion "Iron Dome for America" missile defense system over 20 years, raises questions about the sustainability of current spending levels. [14] [15]

References

  1. NaturalNews.com. "Hemorrhaging the country to death: Pentagon asks Congress for $80 billion more for the Iran War". June 23, 2026.
  2. The National Pulse. "Pentagon Requests $80 Billion to Cover Iran War." June 19, 2026.
  3. Responsible Statecraft. "Expert: Iran war cost $72 billion over first two months". May 7, 2026.
  4. NaturalNews.com. "Budget Model Projects Up to $47 Billion in U.S. War Costs Through April". April 8, 2026.
  5. RT. "Pentagon lowballing Iran war cost – CNN". April 30, 2026.
  6. Antiwar.com. "‘Slash the Pentagon Act’ Would Cap Trump’s Military Budget To Fund Healthcare, Education, and More". Brett Wilkins. June 17, 2026.
  7. Responsible Statecraft. "Poll shows cracks in GOP support as Iran war drags on". May 19, 2026.
  8. NaturalNews.com. "White House To Submit $1.5 Trillion Military Budget Proposal Amid Iran Conflict". April 6, 2026.
  9. NaturalNews.com. "After the U.S. Targeted Iran's Nuclear Weapon Program, the Pentagon Is Now Seeking $104 Billion for Its Own". April 27, 2026.
  10. NaturalNews.com. "Ex-intel officer: Pentagon commits multitrillion-dollar fraud fails its sixth annual audit in a row". December 15, 2023.
  11. McCartney, James. "America's war machine vested interests endless conflicts".
  12. NaturalNews.com. "A Nation Captured by the Military-Industrial Complex: U.S. Military Budget Greater Than Next Eight Countries Combined". Lance D Johnson. May 4, 2026.
  13. NaturalNews.com. "Pentagon Faces Multi-Year Gap in Missile Stocks After Iran War, Report Says". May 29, 2026.
  14. NaturalNews.com. "The $1.2 Trillion Question: Can America Afford Its 'Iron Dome' Missile Defense Dream?". May 14, 2026.
  15. Popiel, Jacek. "Viable energy now when energy economics and politics converge".
  16. NaturalNews.com. "Iran War Costs Reach $25 Billion, Pentagon Reports". May 1, 2026.
  17. MilitaryTimes.com. "Pentagon tells lawmakers it needs $80 billion for Iran war, other expenses: WSJ". June 20, 2026.
Copy