The United States Department of Defense needs $80 billion to cover the costs of the war with Iran, as well as other non-war expenses, Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg told lawmakers in calls this week, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
A full U.S. supplemental request, which will include funding for the Pentagon as well as non-defense priorities such as agricultural and disaster relief, could be sent to lawmakers in the coming days, the newspaper added.
Reuters news agency was unable to immediately verify the information. The White House and Pentagon were not available for comment outside of business hours when contacted.
The war with Iran, a Pentagon official told the agency in April, providing the first official estimate of the war’s costs.
However, the full cost of the conflict, which Trump launched with Israel on February 28, remains an unknown on Capitol Hill, and an initial request for $200 billion in additional funding has met with fierce opposition from lawmakers.
White House budget director Russell Vought told a House Budget Committee hearing in April that he did not have an estimate for the cost of war, as he defended Trump’s call for a $1.5 trillion annual military budget.
The budget proposal reflects Republican priorities for , as the party tries to maintain control of Congress but faces growing voter anxiety about the rising cost of living, high energy prices and the financial burden of war with Iran.
