The White House has approached Congress for an extra $87.6 billion in spending to fund the Iran war and other initiatives, including aid to U.S. farmers and the Ebola response.
The request was made by Russell Vought, the White House Office of Management and Budget Director, in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday. Vought urged Congress to act on these “important and urgent requests as soon as possible.”
The request includes $21 billion for the Defense Department to bolster military capabilities, purchase munitions, and expand the U.S. defense industrial base, along with $1.4 billion for Ebola response efforts and $768 million for the Energy Department to support nuclear security and other energy-related initiatives.
Vought’s proposal also seeks $10 billion in aid for farmers affected by Trump’s trade policies, $500 million for projects in Washington, and $1 billion to renovate New York City’s Penn Station.
Defense Costs Continue To Climb
In March, the Pentagon asked the White House to seek more than $200 billion from Congress to fund the war in Iran, citing the need to support current and potential future military operations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said additional funding is necessary to sustain the campaign, while lawmakers were told that the conflict’s first six days alone cost at least $11.3 billion, with total combat expenses likely higher.
President Donald Trump defended the proposed increase in the defense budget and stated that U.S. ammunition stockpiles were depleted due to extensive aid to Ukraine, accusing former President Joe Biden of providing $350 billion in cash and military support without replenishing supplies. Trump added that defense firms like Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) and Raytheon, a unit of RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX), are “building at a level they’ve never seen before.”
Democrats Push Back On War Funding
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) criticized Trump for seeking additional war funding after launching military action against Iran without congressional approval. Murray argued that taxpayers should not be asked to finance further overseas conflicts, noting that the Pentagon already has a record budget and more than $100 billion in unspent funds from the GOP’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” reported CNBC. “…instead of doing anything to help families get by, he is asking taxpayers to pick up the tab and give him billions more to wage wars overseas,” he said.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn) criticized the package as structured to deter Democratic support and ensure its failure, while Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) said Democrats would struggle to back funding for what she described as an illegal war, particularly amid cuts to domestic spending, reported The Hill.
Meanwhile, House Appropriations leaders Tom Cole (R-OK) and Ken Calvert (R-CA) backed the White House’s request, saying the funding is needed to replenish weapons stockpiles, support deployed troops, strengthen U.S. defenses, and maintain military readiness after recent operations against Iran. They emphasized Congress’s duty to ensure the military remains fully equipped to meet evolving national security threats and said lawmakers will review the proposal’s details.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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