Pentagon says Iran war cost hit $29 billion as Hegseth dodges funding answers

The cost of the Iran war has climbed to roughly $29 billion, Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst told lawmakers Tuesday, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly declined to explain how the administration would pay for the escalating conflict while defending a roughly $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget request.

The Details

Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst appeared before lawmakers on May 12 to deliver updated cost figures for the ongoing Iran war. Testifying before Congress, Hurst said the conflict's price tag had risen to about $29 billion. In remarks quoted by the Associated Press, Hurst explained that the cost 'has risen to about $29 billion, the vast bulk of which — $24 billion — is related to replacing and repairing munitions but also includes operational costs to keep forces deployed.'

The new figure represents a sharp increase from the administration's prior estimate. In late April, public testimony had placed the war's cost at approximately $25 billion. By May 12, that estimate had climbed by roughly $4 billion, a jump that took place over roughly two weeks, according to indexed reporting from AP and U.S. News.

The hearing also featured testimony from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who repeatedly declined to tell lawmakers how the administration would fund the escalating war costs. The New York Times reported that Hegseth sidestepped direct questions about financing the conflict even as he defended a roughly $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget request before Congress. Lawmakers from both parties pressed Hegseth on weapons stockpile depletion and questioned the administration's end game in the Iran war, the AP said. The exchange highlighted a growing gap between the administration's budget ambitions and its unwillingness to specify how it would pay for active combat operations.

Context

The May 12 hearing took place as Congress reviews the Defense Department's roughly $1.5 trillion budget request, a massive spending plan that has drawn scrutiny alongside concerns about munitions replenishment and war authorization. The $4 billion increase in the war cost estimate over roughly two weeks underscores the pace at which expenditures are accelerating as the conflict continues.

The $29 billion total arrives at a moment when lawmakers from both parties are already examining the administration's broader military spending priorities. Members have questioned whether current weapons stockpiles can sustain extended operations without compromising readiness in other areas. The hearing sharpened the tension between the administration's expansive defense budget ambitions and its refusal to detail how it will cover the ballooning operational costs of an active war.

According to the AP, the hearing brought renewed attention to the depleted state of weapons stockpiles and the broader question of how long existing inventory levels can support sustained combat operations. The congressional concern spans party lines, with lawmakers pressing for clarity on both fiscal planning and strategic objectives as the war continues.

What's Next

Congress is expected to continue scrutinizing the Pentagon's budget request and pressing for answers on how the administration plans to fund the Iran war as costs continue to rise. Lawmakers from both parties have signaled that concerns about weapons stockpile depletion and the absence of a clear strategic endpoint will remain central to upcoming deliberations.

The funding showdown appears likely to intensify as the administration continues to defend its roughly $1.5 trillion defense budget while withholding specifics on how it will cover the war tab. With the official cost estimate having climbed $4 billion in about two weeks, the rapid pace of spending increases may place additional pressure on lawmakers to demand detailed accounting before approving further defense funding. The questions Hegseth declined to answer during the May 12 hearing are expected to resurface as Congress moves deeper into budget negotiations.