Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers on Tuesday that the U.S. war with Iran has cost $37.5 billion so far, defending an urgent request for additional military funding during a tense Senate Appropriations Committee hearing marked by sharp political exchanges and repeated interruptions from anti-war protesters.
Hegseth said the supplemental funding was necessary to sustain military operations, replenish equipment, and avoid critical shortfalls, while lawmakers debated a broader Republican-backed budget package that includes defense spending and other White House priorities.
The updated estimate represents an increase from previous Pentagon assessments, as the conflict continues to generate political and financial scrutiny.
Hegseth argued that the requested funding would represent a long-term investment in military readiness, warning that training and operations could be curtailed without congressional approval.
“Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls,” he said.
Republicans are advancing a budget proposal that includes tens of billions of dollars for military operations, alongside funding for additional national security priorities, farm assistance, and voting law measures.
Democratic lawmakers challenged both the scale of the request and the administration’s strategy, with several senators questioning why additional funding was being sought while previously approved resources remain unspent.
The hearing also featured repeated criticism over the administration’s handling of the conflict and concerns about the legislative process used to seek the supplemental funding.
The hearing grew increasingly confrontational as lawmakers questioned the war’s objectives, costs, and long-term strategy.
Hegseth defended the administration’s approach, while Democratic senators argued that the conflict risked becoming a prolonged military engagement and questioned whether additional spending would change its trajectory.
Military leaders also faced questions about operational costs and developments in the Strait of Hormuz, with officials declining to speculate on hypothetical scenarios.
The Pentagon recently announced three additional U.S. service member deaths linked to the conflict, bringing the reported military death toll to 17, while more than 100 personnel have been injured since early July.
The Republican funding proposal is expected to move through Congress despite Democratic opposition, although some Republican lawmakers have also called for spending reductions elsewhere before approving additional military funding.