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The United States' military campaign against Iran has cost $37.5 billion so far, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday, as he faced lawmakers to request additional funding for the conflict. The figure, confirmed during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, marks a significant increase from the previous estimate of nearly $29 billion in mid-May.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from multiple outlets, including ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, South China Morning Post, and The Hindu, concurred on the $37.5 billion cost figure, citing Hegseth's testimony. The hearing, held on July 21, 2026, saw Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine defend their funding request before the committee.

The funding request itself has been reported with some variation. Al Jazeera reported that Hegseth and Caine asked for a $1.5 trillion defense budget, including nearly $70 billion for the Iran war. The Hindu, however, reported a request for approximately $67 billion in supplemental funding. ABC Australia noted that a $1.15 trillion military spending package had advanced through the House of Representatives. South China Morning Post mentioned that Trump had asked Congress for nearly $90 billion in additional funding, most of it related to the Iran conflict.

The cost of the war has been a point of contention. Moody's Analytics has estimated the domestic cost could be up to $150 billion, accounting for factors such as higher energy prices, as reported by Al Jazeera. The $37.5 billion figure, as Hegseth stated, includes some operations and maintenance costs extending through the end of September, though specifics were not provided.

Key Claims

  • The Iran war has cost the United States $37.5 billion, according to Hegseth's testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
  • The war has resulted in the loss of 18 US service members, as reported by ABC Australia.
  • US military bases in the Middle East have sustained heavy damage, with some bases "all but uninhabitable," according to ABC Australia, citing the New York Times.
  • The US has depleted its stockpile of certain weapons, including missile defense systems and Tomahawk missiles, as reported by ABC Australia.
  • The US has launched 11 consecutive nights of strikes against Iran, as reported by Deutsche Welle, citing US Central Command.
  • Hegseth has requested additional funding for the war, with the amount reported variously as $67 billion, $70 billion, or part of a larger budget request.

Perspectives

The hearing highlighted stark divisions between the Trump administration and lawmakers over the cost and management of the war. Hegseth and Caine described the funding request as "urgent" and "necessary" to cover Pentagon costs through September, as reported by The Hindu. However, Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen challenged the request, noting that Hegseth still had $75 billion in unspent funding. "Why are you asking the American people to absorb the cost of a war they don't support instead of asking for transfer authority for unspent reconciliation funding?" she asked, according to The Hindu.

Republican Senator John Kennedy also expressed frustration, demanding "hard answers and some straight talk" about the administration's strategy, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz. The hearing was also interrupted by protesters against the Iran war, as noted by Deutsche Welle.

The war, which began in late February, has continued despite a brief ceasefire, with heavy bombings resuming earlier this month. Trump had initially said the war would last only weeks, but it has now stretched into its fifth month, with no clear end in sight.