Pentagon seeks $80 billion to cover Iran war costs, WSJ reports

WASHINGTON: The US Department of Defense has told lawmakers it requires $80 billion to cover costs related to the Iran war as well as other non-combat expenditures, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the report, Deputy Defence Secretary Stephen Feinberg conveyed the estimate in phone calls with lawmakers this week.

The newspaper said a broader supplemental funding request, which would include Pentagon spending along with non-defense items such as disaster and agricultural relief, could be submitted to Congress in the coming days.

The Pentagon declined to comment on the report.

The Iran war has cost around $25 billion so far, according to a Pentagon official, who provided the first official estimate of the conflict’s expenses in April.

However, the overall cost remains unclear on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers previously resisted an initial $200 billion funding request.

White House Budget Director Russell Vought told a House Budget Committee hearing in April that he had no estimate for the total cost of the war while defending the administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion defence budget.

The conflict, which began alongside Israel on February 28, has become a major fiscal and political issue in Washington, amid broader concerns over rising living costs, energy prices and defence spending priorities.