Hegseth tells Senate war on Iran has so far cost $37.5bn at hearing to request more funds

What Happened

On Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen Dan Caine testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Susan Collins (R-Maine), to defend the Trump administration’s request for $87.6bn in supplemental Pentagon funding, with $67.1bn specifically earmarked for the ongoing war against Iran. The hearing, their first sustained public questioning since the conflict reignited after a ceasefire collapse, was punctuated by protests and sharp exchanges. Committee Vice-Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) demanded to know what the war had achieved, accusing the administration of shifting rationales—from preempting non-existent threats to regime change, dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, and now reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which she said was fully open before the war. Hegseth cast the request as essential for deterrence, warning that without the funds, the Pentagon would face critical shortfalls in paying troops and replenishing munitions. The request comes as US casualties mount: at least two soldiers were killed in an Iranian attack on Friday, another died in Iraq destroying an Iranian drone, bringing the American death toll since February to 17, with nearly 100 wounded.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The hearing exposes deepening congressional unease over the financial and human costs of the Iran war, with key Republicans breaking from the administration on war powers. The outcome of the funding battle will determine whether the Pentagon can sustain operations and replenish depleted stockpiles of precision munitions, while the bipartisan scrutiny may force a clearer articulation of strategic objectives.

Watch For

Votes on war-powers resolutions backed by Senators Collins and Lisa Murkowski; the House defense appropriations panel’s push for overdue cost and munitions disclosures from the Pentagon; whether the supplemental request secures full or partial approval, and how the administration reconciles the OMB’s $30bn cost estimate with the Pentagon’s $67.1bn war-related ask.