The United States estimates that its military campaign against Iran has cost $37.5 billion so far, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers on Tuesday, as the Trump administration pressed Congress to approve an $87.6 billion emergency funding package for defence and ongoing operations.
Appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, Hegseth said the estimate covered both spending already incurred and projected costs through September 30, including military pay, operations and maintenance.
“The estimate we have as of today is $37.5 billion,” Hegseth said in response to questions from Democratic Senator Richard Durbin.
The administration is seeking nearly $67 billion for the military as part of the supplemental request. According to Hegseth, the proposal includes $21 billion for military readiness, covering troop pay, fuel, equipment replacement, National Guard support and forward deployments. Another $46 billion is earmarked for expanding munitions production and accelerating programmes involving hypersonic weapons, counter-drone systems and satellites.
He warned that failure to approve the request could affect military preparedness.
“Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls that threaten our ability to also simply pay our service members, rapidly replenish equipment and munitions, and sustain vital operations without disruption,” Hegseth said.
Democrats question funding request
Democratic lawmakers questioned the need for fresh funding, noting that the Pentagon still has about $75 billion in unobligated funds from an earlier package.
Senator Patty Murray criticised provisions in the supplemental request, pointing to allocations for US Southern Command, National Guard deployments in Washington and continued operations along the southern border.
“The American people want to see a quick and strategic end to this war, not $70 billion of their tax dollars sent to keep it going,” Murray said.
Lawmakers also debated whether the administration had the legal authority to continue military operations beyond the timeframe set out in the War Powers Resolution. Hegseth maintained that the White House believed President Donald Trump retained the necessary constitutional authority.
General Dan Caine declined to discuss whether the United States was considering deploying ground forces, saying military planners routinely prepare multiple operational options.
Hegseth alleges Russia and China aiding Iran
During the hearing, Hegseth also claimed that Russia and China were helping Iran, though he declined to describe the nature or extent of the assistance.
“There are ways in which both of those countries are, at different levels, enabling some of the things Iran is doing. Yes,” he said after being questioned by Republican Senator John Hoeven.
General Caine also declined to elaborate, saying discussing intelligence publicly could reveal sensitive information.
US says blockade reimposed
Hegseth said US forces had carried out strikes against Iranian targets for a 10th consecutive evening after Tehran allegedly resumed attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
He said the United States had reimposed what he described as an “effectively impenetrable” blockade against Iran and was targeting Tehran’s ability to monitor activity around the strategic waterway.
“Our blockade has been reimposed and is effectively impenetrable,” Hegseth said, adding that recent operations had reduced Iran’s ability to operate in the Strait of Hormuz.
He also claimed Iran was at its weakest military position in decades after repeated US strikes on missile infrastructure and other military assets, while acknowledging that Tehran still retained capabilities including fast attack boats, coastal missiles and naval mines.
The defence secretary described the administration’s broader $1.5 trillion defence budget proposal as a “generational investment” designed to strengthen deterrence against adversaries including Russia and China.