US puts Iran war cost at $37.5 billion

Washington: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators that the war with Iran has cost an estimated $37.5 billion, as the Trump administration sought nearly $88 billion in emergency funding amid renewed fighting in the Strait of Hormuz.

Hegseth disclosed the figure during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on President Donald Trump’s supplemental funding request. The administration is seeking $87.6 billion, including about $67 billion for the military.

“The estimate we have as of today is $37.5 billion,” Hegseth said in response to questions from Democratic Senator Richard Durbin.

He said the estimate covered some costs incurred so far and anticipated military pay, operations and maintenance expenses through September 30.

The request would provide $21 billion for military readiness, including pay, equipment replacement, forward-deployed forces, fuel and National Guard support. Another $46 billion would expand production of munitions and accelerate investments in hypersonic weapons, counter-drone systems, satellites and other capabilities.

Hegseth said training exercises could be curtailed if Congress failed to approve additional funds. He argued that the military was confronting years of deferred maintenance and depleted weapons stocks.

“Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls that threaten our ability to also simply pay our service members, rapidly replenish equipment and munitions, and sustain vital operations without disruption,” he said.

Democrats questioned why the Pentagon needed more money when it still had roughly $75 billion in unobligated funds from an earlier spending package.

Senator Patty Murray said the supplemental included nearly $1 billion for US Southern Command, about $1 billion for continued National Guard deployments in Washington and more than $1 billion for operations along the southern border.

“The American people want to see a quick and strategic end to this war, not $70 billion of their tax dollars sent to keep it going,” Murray said.

The hearing also exposed sharp divisions over the administration’s legal authority to continue military operations. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski noted that the War Powers Resolution generally requires a president to end hostilities within 60 days unless Congress grants authorisation.

Hegseth said the administration believed Trump retained the necessary constitutional powers. “We certainly, as a department, take the — share the position of the White House that we have all the authorities necessary at this moment,” he said.

General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declined to discuss whether the United States could deploy ground forces. He said military planners routinely prepared options and assessed their risks.

IANS