Pentagon seeks more than $200 billion in budget request for Iran war

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/18/iran-cost-budget-pentagon/

27 Comments

  1. SirBulbasaur13 on

    That’s such a ridiculously huge amount of money, except in the context of the American military, then it’s just a normal huge amount of money.

  2. This is called a stealth QE, it’s diluting everyone’s money.

    Shadow QE as I call it, hence why some are sounding the alarm and saying time to protect assets

  3. Budget-Confusion-324 on

    one week of war in Iran resulted in about $11.3 billion spent on weapons… so this could mean they plan to be at war for about 4 more months probably. Also FY2027 defense spending budget is already $1.5 trillion.

  4. As usual with this administration: after market’s are closed.

    Well, things are finally buckling and his inner circle of insiders can’t hit the reset button with a TACO reversal.

  5. US has wasted like 2000 billion USD in Afghanistan, 200B in Iran is just for the start.

    Look at Afghanistan now, how could this possible go wrong?

  6. PausedForVolatility on

    Khanna claimed the war costs America “nearby $1b per day.” If that’s accurate, $200b may very well be the military trying to secure funding for an expansion of operations. Or knowing that an expansion in scope in an unpopular war is coming and trying to secure funding ahead of that.

  7. Keep in mind the initial phase of the Iraq war cost about 150 billion. I don’t think this is ending anytime soon

  8. If we’re not in a war, then they don’t need the money. Plus what’s the point of an almost $1 trillion Pentagon budget if you need more money. Figure it out with that

  9. I thought we are winning ? And our troops are about to go home very soon ? Why seek $200bn when the Trump admin said this ~~war~~ “special operation” will only last a few weeks ?

  10. Just for comparison, the longest US government shutdown, which started in October 2025, was because the Republican party was against extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.

    > The Congressional Budget Office projects ACA marketplace subsidies (premium tax credits) will cost approximately $138 billion in 2025. The temporary, enhanced subsidies enacted via the Inflation Reduction Act are set to expire at the end of 2025, with proposals to make them permanent estimated to cost roughly $350 billion to $415 billion over the next decade.

  11. Immediate-Spite-5905 on

    Hopefully this is geared towards interceptors and stand-off munitions for war with China

  12. VikingMonkey123 on

    These numbers are insane. Bonkers. Stupid. No universal healthcare ever in this rotten timeline.

  13. sinkpisser1200 on

    The war is going great, it took the US 20 years to replace the taliban and install the taliban regime.
    In Iran Ayatolla Khomeini got replaced by ayatolla Khomeini in 2 weeks.

  14. So about abolishing income tax and paying of the deficit….

    Doge just gutted the system of what? Competency?

  15. What are your thoughts on the fact that Jared Kushner, Trumps point man for the Middle East, received $2 billion from Saudi Arabia and now the US is fighting a war against their rival Iran and the government has a hard time explaining why. Do you think there is a connection?

  16. No-Economics-6781 on

    All I wanna say is don’t forget to vote this garbage administration out come next election.

  17. GreenStorm_01 on

    Huh, how can that be? i thought it was essentially won, could be over within the week and was already militarily won last year?!

  18. heytherehellogoodbye on

    Bout $584 bucks per American person (based on total population, so counting children too)

  19. Return some those $400 hammers, $600 toilet seats, $7000 coffee makers, and $75 screws for a refunds.

  20. mahnamahna27 on

    I wonder if the play here is to ask for so much that there is zero chance of getting the money from Congress, giving Donnie the excuse he needs to stop attacking Iran and to then blame the Democratic party for all consequences of what has already been done and what he will claim couldn’t be done due to funding being withheld.

  21. Approval from Trump, or the US Congress? Is the US Congress aware there’s a war in Iran which at least notionally requires their approval ?