Pentagon Needs $80 Billion to Cover Costs of Confronting Iran

Washington - The Pentagon needs $80 billion (approximately Rp1,428 trillion) to cover the costs of war with Iran and various other non-war related requirements, said US Deputy Defence Secretary Stephen Feinberg. The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Feinberg conveyed this to lawmakers in a series of telephone conversations this week. Citing sources familiar with the discussions, the WSJ reported that US Department of Defence officials warned the country’s armed forces could run out of operational funds this summer if Congress does not immediately pass a new war funding bill. Any additional Pentagon budget request must first receive approval from the White House Office of Management and Budget before being submitted to Congress. The US Department of Defence’s budget for fiscal year 2026 currently stands at around $1 trillion. According to the report, sources familiar with the discussions said the Pentagon is sufficiently confident in the plan that Feinberg has briefed lawmakers in recent days. A portion of the additional funds will be used for warship operations, military personnel salary payments, and ammunition procurement, among other needs, one source said. The report also mentioned that the US government’s supplemental budget request, which includes funds for the Pentagon as well as various non-defence priorities, could be sent to lawmakers in the coming days. Feinberg’s efforts to communicate with lawmakers coincided with a meeting between US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and several senior Republican senators on Capitol Hill this week. The possibility of an additional defence funding request was also discussed during that meeting, according to lawmakers.