The Pentagon has asked the White House to approve more than $200 billion in funding to continue the U.S. war in Iran, according to a report by The Washington Post citing senior administration officials, according to Anadolu Agency.
The proposed funding package would cover continued military operations that began on February 28 and allow for expanded production of weapons used in the conflict, according to three sources familiar with the discussions. Over the past two weeks, the Defense Department has presented several versions of the request, but some White House advisers reportedly doubt that such a massive proposal could pass Congress.
The scale of the request dwarfs earlier estimates of the war’s cost. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said Sunday that the U.S. had already spent more than $12 billion in the first two weeks of fighting. Similarly, a New York Times report cited a Pentagon briefing putting initial expenditures at $11.3 billion during just the first six days.
At the start of the campaign, administration officials had downplayed the need for additional funding. Hassett insisted that the U.S. “already had the weapons in place” and might avoid seeking a special budget request. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed that confidence, claiming the U.S. military possessed a “nearly unlimited stockpile” of precision munitions.
However, as the war enters its fourth week, the costs are climbing. Military analysts say the pace and intensity of U.S.-Israeli airstrikes against Iran have likely drained reserves faster than expected, driving pressure for an enormous supplemental budget.
The conflict’s toll has been severe. Reports indicate that more than 1,300 people have been killed, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in what analysts describe as one of the most dramatic escalations in the region’s recent history.
Neither the Pentagon nor the White House has officially commented on the $200 billion request. But the figure underscores the staggering price of prolonged warfare and the political battles that may unfold in Washington as the costs mount.
