US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said, “The cost of the ongoing war with Iran has reached $37.5 billion.”
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, along with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, answered questions from members of the US Senate Appropriations Committee regarding the additional budget requested for the Department of Defense. Hegseth stated that we live in a dangerous world where bold and swift actions are necessary, saying, “This is the reason for this additional appropriation request for the fiscal year 2026. The budget request in question is an essential and urgent resource supplement aimed at meeting the immediate needs of the Department of Defense. There is no alternative to replace this additional funding request with existing resources. We are also in a different era. If we do not make critical investments immediately in technology, processing power, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and space, we cannot afford to remain inactive. Our adversaries, who are already making such investments, may surpass us,” he said.
In response to Democratic Senator Dick Durbin's question about the cost of the Iran war, Hegseth replied, “As of today, $37 billion 500 million.” Hegseth also noted that if the funds are not provided, soldiers' salaries may not be paid, stating, “The US military may face critical shortages that will threaten its ability to rapidly replenish equipment and ammunition and to sustain vital operations without interruption.”
