US Defence Secretary Reveals War Against Iran Has Cost US$37.5 Billion So Far

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has revealed that the war against Iran has cost US$37.5 billion so far. The figure was disclosed during a hearing in the US Congress on Tuesday, as the Pentagon pushes for additional emergency funding for the conflict.

Speaking before lawmakers, Hegseth explained that the US$37.5 billion sum covers certain aspects of the war and includes projected costs up to 30 September. It remains unclear exactly how the Pentagon calculated this figure. In March, a source cited by Reuters indicated that the Trump administration estimated the first six days of the war alone cost at least US$11.3 billion.

Last month, President Trump requested nearly US$90 billion in supplemental funding from Congress, largely tied to the Iran conflict. The request is expected to spark fresh debate among lawmakers, who are increasingly frustrated by the unending war and are facing midterm elections in November.

Both Republican and Democratic members of Congress have voiced complaints since the US and Israel began bombing Iran on 28 February, criticising Trump and his advisers for failing to brief them on the military operations or the administration’s plans. With Republicans holding only a razor-thin majority in both the House and Senate, any spending bill will likely require Democratic support to pass.

‘The President is threatening escalation and war crimes, and signalling this could be another endless war,’ criticised Democratic Senator Patty Murray of the Appropriations Committee during the hearing. Despite the pushback, Hegseth urged lawmakers to approve not only the supplemental funding but also a total budget of US$1.5 trillion for 2027. ‘Not funding this department with US$1.5 trillion is, in my view, the greatest threat facing our country,’ he stated.