Iran war has cost the US $25 billion so far, Pentagon says

The United States has spent $25 billion on the Iran war in its first two months, Pentagon officials told Congress on Wednesday.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the figure before the House Armed Services Committee, saying the cost was justified to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, even as Democrats called the estimate a significant undercount.

How much has the Iran war cost the US so far?

The Pentagon put the cost at $25 billion, though analysts and lawmakers say the real figure is higher. The estimate does not appear to account for damage to US installations or destroyed equipment. Bloomberg Economics defense lead Becca Wasser said the war's true cost was "likely to be much higher and this is an undershoot."

Senator Richard Blumenthal previously told Bloomberg Television that "$2 billion a day" was likely "a low-ball figure." The Pentagon estimated the first two days of the war alone cost $5.6 billion in munitions, according to the Washington Post. The $25 billion figure covers roughly 60 days of conflict, raising questions about how the total was calculated.

What did Hegseth tell Congress about the Iran war cost?

The hearing was originally scheduled to review the administration's $1.5 trillion defense budget request, a 44 percent increase over current levels. It became the first public opportunity for lawmakers to question Pentagon leaders directly about the Iran war, which the US and Israel launched on February 28. Hegseth struck a combative tone before questioning even began.

"The biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans," he told the committee. When California Democrat John Garamendi called the conflict a "geostrategic calamity" and a "strategic blunder," Hegseth shot back that "your hatred for President Trump blinds you to the truth of the success of this mission." He also asked: "Who are you pulling for?"

How are Democrats responding to the Iran war's price tag?

Democratic lawmakers cast the conflict as a costly war of choice that Trump entered without a clear plan. Representative Adam Smith, the committee's senior Democrat, called the administration's budget request "hopelessly unrealistic" and accused Hegseth of insulting US allies and "going it alone" in Iran. "What is the plan to achieve our objectives? We've seen the costs," Smith said.

Democrats have also pointed to the broader economic damage from the war. The conflict has shut a vital Persian Gulf waterway to oil and gas tankers, driven up global energy prices, and strained US alliances in Europe. Washington has responded with a naval blockade of Iran's ports as it tries to pressure Tehran into negotiations.

What is the $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget request and why does it matter?

The record defense budget request represents a 44 percent increase and has complicated the administration's push for congressional support. Republican lawmakers, facing midterm elections where cost of living concerns are prominent, are reluctant to back a $440 billion spending increase that could cut into popular social programs.

Even the committee's Republican chairman, Representative Mike Rogers, acknowledged in his opening statement that "our global munitions stockpiles are low and we lack the capacity to rapidly restock magazine depth."

Hegseth denied the war has depleted US stockpiles of high-tech missiles and bombs. However, one of the stated justifications for the budget increase is replenishing munitions consumed during the Iran war and during Israel's defense against Iranian retaliation for the bombing of its nuclear facilities last year.

What did Hegseth say about US allies and NATO?

Hegseth used his written statement to renew attacks on US allies for not contributing to the war effort, warning there would be "consequences." He singled out NATO for what he called an "unconscionable" failure to support US forces, adding: "We will remember." Smith accused Hegseth of "gratuitously" insulting allies who have already expressed concern about the war's direction and its impact on the global economy.