Pentagon under fire as Iran war triggers spending debate: How much has Washington spent?
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth defended President Donald Trump’s $1.5 trillion military budget request for 2027 as he answered Democrats and Republican lawmakers in the Congress on Tuesday.
Hegseth told the lawmakers that the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite direct exchange of fire between the two nations. (AI Generated image)
The 10–week war in West Asia between the United States and Iran pushed energy prices higher globally, which rose more than 3 per cent on Tuesday as the debate over the cost of war in Tehran spiralled in the US Congress.
Pentagon defends military spending
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth defended President Donald Trump’s $1.5 trillion military budget request for 2027 as he answered Democrats and Republican lawmakers in Congress on Tuesday.
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Hegseth told the lawmakers that the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite the direct exchange of fire between the two nations.
Iran war cost estimate rises
During a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee on April 29, the Pentagon had said that America spent $25 billion on its war in Iran, and the expenditure mostly revolved around munitions and equipment maintenance.
But Pentagon’s top budget official Jules Hurst, in an update on war spending, told Congress that the cost of the war in Iran stood at about $29 billion.
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Hurst, who is the comptroller at the Pentagon, told lawmakers on Tuesday that the new cost of the war in Iran, which is up $4 billion from the earlier estimate, includes equipment repair and replacement and operational costs. “The joint staff team and the comptroller team are constantly looking at that estimate,” he added.
US-IRAN WAR — CONGRESS DEBATE
The $29 Billion War: What America Spent — and What It May Still Owe
As the ceasefire holds, the cost of the 10-week US-Iran war spirals through Congress — from the Pentagon's official tally to Democratic projections of $1 trillion.
OFFICIAL ESTIMATE
War cost revised upward by $4 billion
Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst told Congress the cost of the Iran war now stands at $29 billion — up from the $25 billion figure cited at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on April 29. The revised figure includes equipment repair and replacement and operational costs.
BY THE NUMBERS
$25B
Initial Pentagon estimate (Apr 29)
$29B
Revised official war cost
+$4B
Increase from prior estimate
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Equipment repair & replacement
A significant portion of revised costs tied to maintaining and replacing military hardware used during the 10-week campaign.
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Munitions expenditure
The original $25B figure was largely driven by munitions and equipment maintenance, according to Pentagon's April 29 testimony.
PENTAGON STANCE
Hegseth defends $1.5 trillion military budget before Congress
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared before Congress on Tuesday to defend President Trump's $1.5 trillion military budget request for 2027. He answered questions from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers while asserting the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite a direct exchange of fire between the two nations.
KEY FIGURES
Budget request
$1.5T
Trump's military budget ask for 2027
War cost (official)
$29B
Pentagon's revised Iran war bill
"The biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of Congressional Democrats and some Republicans."
— Pete Hegseth, US Defence Secretary, Congressional hearing
OPPOSITION VIEW
Democrats say real cost could reach $1 trillion
Democratic leaders and analysts argue the Trump administration's $29 billion figure drastically understates the true cost of the Iran war. Several Democratic lawmakers put the eventual cost to Washington at between $630 billion and $1 trillion, as reported by Al Jazeera.
COST PROJECTIONS
$630B
Low-end Democrat projection
$1T
High-end Democrat projection
"About two billion dollars a day in short-term, upfront costs — which is the tip of the iceberg."
— Linda Bilmes, Professor, Harvard Kennedy School
CASUALTIES
Death toll mounts on both sides as ceasefire holds
According to Iran's health ministry, US-Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 3,375 people. The US military has confirmed 14 service member deaths and injuries to 200 others. The ceasefire remains in effect despite reported exchanges of fire.
CONFIRMED LOSSES
3,375
Iranians killed (health ministry)
14
US service member deaths
200
US troops injured
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US-Israeli joint strikes on Iran
Iranian casualty figures come from Tehran's health ministry and cover deaths from US-Israeli attacks during the 10-week conflict.
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Ceasefire status
Hegseth told Congress the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite a direct exchange of fire between the two nations.
GLOBAL MARKETS
Energy prices up over 3% as war cost debate escalates
The 10-week war between the US and Iran pushed energy prices higher globally. Prices rose more than 3 per cent on Tuesday as the Congressional debate over war expenditure intensified, adding to market uncertainty around Middle East supply routes.
According to Linda Bilmes, professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, the war in Iran is costing “about two billion dollars a day in short-term, upfront costs, which is the tip of the iceberg.”
A few Democrat leaders have said that the war in Iran will cost Washington between $630 billion and $1 trillion, Al Jazeera reported. Lashing out at the Democrats, Hegseth, during the previous congressional hearing, had said, “The biggest challenge, the biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of Congressional Democrats and some Republicans.”
Casualties continue to mount
According to Tehran’s health ministry, the US-Israeli attacks on Iran have killed at least 3,375 people, while the US military has till now confirmed deaths of 14 service members, with injuries to 200 others.
Hegseth told the lawmakers that the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite direct exchange of fire between the two nations. (AI Generated image) 
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