U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth estimates cost of Iran war at $37.5 billion
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified that the war in Iran has cost $37.5 billion, requesting additional funding from Congress. Lawmakers expressed frustration over the lack of a clear strategy and demanded more transparency regarding the conflict's objectives.
Why it matters
The financial and strategic implications of the US-Iran conflict are major factors in global economic stability and domestic US politics.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) the Iran war has cost the United States $37.5 billion so far, up from a previous estimate of nearly $29 billion in mid-May.
"The estimate we have as of today is $37.5 billion," Mr. Hegseth testified during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing at which he defended a request for some $67 billion in supplemental funding for the Pentagon.
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