Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned Thursday that the Pentagon will likely be asking Congress for extra money to cowl the Iran battle, saying he desires to make sure present and future prices are coated “above and past.”
A senior administration official confirmed {that a} $200 billion request was despatched from the Pentagon to the White Home on Wednesday. The Washington Post first reported the request.
Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth holds a briefing with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers Normal Dan Caine on the Pentagon in Washington, March 19, 2026.
Evan Vucci/Reuters
It was not clear whether or not the White Home had formally submitted the request to Congress as of Thursday morning or what sort of reception it might have amongst lawmakers, who stay deeply divided on President Donald Trump’s choice to assault Iran.
The battle started Feb. 28 after negotiations on its nuclear and ballistic missile program failed, and the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes. In its third week, the U.S. says it’s destroyed greater than 7,800 army targets, 120 Iranian ships and 11 submarines.
Pentagon officers instructed a gaggle of senators in a closed-door briefing earlier this month that the battle in Iran price at the least $11.3 billion in its first six days.
When requested in regards to the $200 billion request, Hegseth did not verify the whole, saying that the quantity “might transfer.”
“So far as $200 billion, I believe that quantity might transfer. Clearly it takes, it takes cash to kill unhealthy guys,” Hegseth mentioned in a information convention Thursday morning. “So we’re going again to Congress and our people there to make sure that we’re correctly funded for what’s been achieved, for what we might should do sooner or later, be sure that our ammunition is — all the pieces’s refilled, and never simply refilled, however above and past.”
Wartime supplementals are used to make sure the army stays able to deal with different potential conflicts and to replenish stockpiles spent on the continuing mission.
Requested in regards to the $200 billion request on Thursday, Trump mentioned “we’re asking for lots of causes past even what we’re speaking about in Iran.”
“So we’re in excellent form, however we need to be in one of the best form. The perfect form we have ever been in,” Trump mentioned.
Home management has not obtained a proper protection supplemental request from the Trump administration, based on a supply accustomed to the small print.
An EA-18G Growler, connected to Digital Assault Squadron 133, prepares to launch from the flight deck of Nimitz-class plane provider USS Abraham Lincoln in help of Operation Epic Fury, March 7, 2026.
US Navy
Requested in regards to the quantity, Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned Congress has a dedication to “adequately fund protection.”
“I am positive it is not a random quantity, so we’ll take a look at that,” Johnson mentioned Thursday morning. “However clearly it is a harmful time on the planet, and we have now to adequately fund protection, and we have now a dedication to try this.”
As of Wednesday evening, a number of Senate appropriators, together with Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, mentioned that they had not but seen the request.
Sen. Patty Murray, the highest Democrat on the Senate Appropriations committee, mentioned she had not seen the funding request, and would want particulars to be offered.
“We’ve got not seen that request, and I’ll let you know that this administration wants to inform Congress undoubtedly what they’re doing and the way lengthy that is going to take. There is no such thing as a aim right here, and we’re not going to jot down them a clean test,” Murray mentioned.
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who’s on the Protection Appropriations Subcommittee, instructed reporters on Thursday morning that to her information the Pentagon has not made a request to Congress.
“What we have now is a quantity that we have now heard the White Home introduced to the Pentagon. As far as I do know it has not been introduced to us in Congress. So it must not solely be introduced, the quantity, but additionally the rationale behind it,” Murkowski mentioned.
The cash that has thus far been spent to fund operations in Iran comes out of Pentagon funds already allotted by Congress. Congress has not but accepted any further funding for the battle with Iran.
The funding request additionally signifies plans for an extended battle — after Trump has beforehand mentioned the battle would final four to five weeks. The president has additionally dismissed that timeline, saying “no matter it takes.”
ABC Information’ Lauren Peller contributed to this report.
