Pentagon Seeks $200 Bln for Iran War

The US Department of Defense has requested more than $200 billion from the White House to fund the ongoing war with Iran, according to a report by The Washington Post citing a senior administration official.

The proposed funding far exceeds the cost of the current military campaign and is aimed at accelerating the production of critical weapons depleted during recent US-Israeli strikes targeting thousands of sites over the past three weeks.

The final amount to be submitted to Congress remains uncertain, as some officials believe the Pentagon’s request may face significant hurdles in gaining approval. Multiple funding proposals with varying figures have been discussed in recent weeks, the report noted.

The request is expected to trigger a major political battle in Congress, where public support for the war appears limited and Democratic lawmakers have voiced strong opposition. While Republicans have shown initial backing, no clear legislative strategy has yet emerged to secure the 60 votes needed in the Senate.

The development comes despite President Donald Trump’s earlier campaign pledges to reduce US military involvement abroad. By December, Congress had already approved around $188 billion to support the war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the cost of the Iran conflict has risen rapidly, surpassing $11 billion in its first week alone, according to officials.

Shortly after the launch of the joint US-Israeli campaign, the administration began preparing an emergency funding request to sustain military readiness and cover operational expenses.

Efforts within the Pentagon are being led by Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg, who has focused on strengthening the US defense industrial base and boosting production of precision munitions depleted during the conflict.

According to the report, Pentagon officials have developed multiple funding packages aimed at addressing ammunition shortages and supporting defense manufacturers facing production constraints.

Before the war, Trump had called for increasing the US defense budget to $1.5 trillion, though it remains unclear whether the new funding request would be included in that total. The proposal has also faced internal concerns from the Office of Management and Budget over its scale.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has urged that additional intelligence funding be included in the final package.

Experts say the upcoming debate in Congress will be a key test of political support for the war, with opponents likely to use the funding vote to challenge continued US involvement.

Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted that uncertainty remains over the total cost of the conflict, adding that lawmakers will demand clearer estimates before approving additional funds.

Analysts also warn that increased funding alone may not immediately resolve production challenges in the US defense sector, which faces constraints including labor shortages, limited facilities, and supply chain bottlenecks.

Former Pentagon comptroller Elaine McCusker said that while increased funding is essential, it does not guarantee rapid expansion in production capacity.