Trump Claims $80 Billion Iran Conflict Cost Is Minimal Compared to Preventing Nuclear Threat

United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (23/6/2026) that the cost of the Iran conflict reached 80 billion US dollars (approximately Rp1,433 trillion). However, he argued it was negligible compared to what Washington achieved: ensuring Iran will never pose a nuclear threat. “It was very cheap compared to what we did. Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. Iran will never be able to use a nuclear weapon,” Trump told PBS News when asked about the amount of funds reportedly requested by the Pentagon from Congress. “And if you didn’t do this, they would have nuclear weapons, and then you would see the real profits,” he continued.

Last week, The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the discussions, reported that the US Department of Defence (Pentagon) had asked Congress to allocate an additional 80 billion US dollars to cover the costs of operations related to Iran and other expenditures. The report added that Pentagon leaders warned funds for military operations could run out by the summer if Congress fails to pass a new defence budget bill. The Pentagon’s budget for the 2026 fiscal year currently stands at around 1 trillion US dollars.

On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched strikes against several targets in Iran, causing damage and civilian casualties. On the night of 18 June, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum to end the military conflict. The memorandum also set a timeline for the US to lift its naval blockade and restore Iranian shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.