As US-Iran war winds down, Pentagon seeks $80 billion to cover costs of conflict: Details | Today’s news

US Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg told lawmakers in a phone call this week that the Department of Defense (DoD) reportedly needs $80 billion to cover costs from the US-Iran war, along with some other non-war bills.

The Wall Street Journal reported the development on Friday, citing sources who came on the heels of lawmakers pressing US President Donald Trump’s administration to provide a detailed cost of the war that began in late February.

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In addition, lawmakers worry that the U.S. military has depleted Washington’s valuable ammunition that could be needed to confront threats elsewhere around the world.

Will the Pentagon run out of money?

The report suggests Pentagon leaders have said they could start running out of money to carry out operations this summer if Congress does not pass a new wartime spending bill. They also warned that continued operations related to the U.S.-Iran war, combined with the deployment of troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, could force the military to cut back on training activities and other key programs.

According to a WSJ report published in May, the U.S. military is reportedly seeing a deficit of between $2 billion and $6 billion, not only because of the Iran war, but also because of the expanded deployment of the National Guard in Washington and on the border.

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The US military faces rising costs

The U.S. military is facing rising costs for several operations this year, including the Iran conflict, with the Pentagon forecasting $29 billion in costs in mid-May, a number that has likely risen since then. Other costs come from an operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of the country’s leader, as well as ongoing missions targeting vessels suspected of drug smuggling in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Citing Pentagon officials, Reuters reported in April that the US-Iran war had cost about $25 billion, the first official estimate of the war’s costs. But the full cost of the conflict that began in late February remained an open question on Capitol Hill. The initial request for $200 billion in additional funding has previously met with sharp opposition from lawmakers.

In early May, Acting Comptroller Jay Hurst told lawmakers that the Iran war had cost the Pentagon roughly $29 billion, an increase of $4 billion in less than two weeks. According to the WSJ, that estimate included operating costs, ammunition expenditures, and aircraft damaged or destroyed. However, it did not include the damage caused to American equipment at their bases throughout the Middle East.

Does the Pentagon believe in the Defense Department’s plan?

The Pentagon is reportedly confident of the plan, which Feinberg briefed lawmakers on in recent days, the report noted, adding that the money would go toward ship operations, personnel salaries and ammunition, among other things. Further, sources told the WSJ that the Trump administration could present a detailed proposal for additional funding to Congress in the coming days. The package is expected to include additional resources for the Pentagon, along with funding for non-defense needs such as agricultural aid and disaster recovery efforts.

Any other Pentagon request would have to be approved by the White House Office of Management and Budget before going to Congress. The Pentagon’s budget for the current fiscal year 2026 is approximately $1 trillion, the report said.

Lawmakers split on the $80 billion funding request

US lawmakers are divided on the Pentagon’s plan and have warned they won’t vote to approve additional funding unless Congress approves military operations, as lawmakers have done for previous wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and the first Gulf War. Donald Trump’s administration did not seek authorization from Congress before launching the Iran war, a move that Democrats have called illegal.

In the Senate, most legislation requires the support of at least 60 lawmakers to move forward, meaning Republicans would likely need the support of at least some Democrats. But Republican senators also have the option of using the budget reconciliation process, which allows some fiscal measures to pass with a simple majority and bypass the 60-vote threshold. Some senior Republicans involved in the budget negotiations have already opposed the move.