Iran war cost hits $25 billion, Pentagon tells Congress

The war with Iran cost the American taxpayers an estimated $25 billion, Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst III said as he testified at a House Armed Services Committee hearing along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine.

The figure may go up in the coming days, with many reports anticipating a request of $200 billion to fund the entire campaign and weapons replenishment. Notably, this is the first time that there is an official figure for a military campaign with little public backing.

The estimate is likely to put the Trump administration under tremendous pressure as the cost-of-living crisis continues to escalate due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The average gas prices topped $4.18 on Tuesday, the highest in the last four years since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

"Approximately...we're spending about $25 billion on Operation Epic Fury," Hurst told the committee's ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Smith. He explained that most of these costs stem from munitions, and the military has also spent this money on operations, maintenance, and equipment replacements.

Smith noted that the Pentagon had not shared details about the cost of the war since its inception and inquired if there were plans to ask for supplemental funding to finance the ongoing conflict. "We will formulate a supplemental through the White House that will come to Congress once we have a full assessment of the cost of the conflict," Hurst said during the hearing on the Pentagon's $1.5 trillion defense budget request.

It must be noted that Pentagon officials told Congress behind closed doors that the war cost $11.3 billion in just the first six days. The hearing was significant as Hegseth had avoided public questioning from lawmakers about the war until now. The cost of the war is crucial for Congress, given that the conflict is set to exceed 60 days, compelling lawmakers to intervene on whether to approve or reject the ongoing use of military force in Iran, NBC News explained in a report. This is because the 1973 War Powers Resolution stipulates that an administration can use military force without congressional approval for up to 60 days. The president can either request a 30-day extension or Congress can vote to authorize the war after two months.

Iran has offered to reopen the Strait if the U.S. lifts its blockade on the country and ends the war in a proposal that would defer discussions on Tehran's nuclear program. President Trump has already made it clear that any deal with Iran has to include promises that the country will not develop a nuclear weapon. In other words, the peace talks appear to be locked in a stalemate.