APTOPIX Pentagon US Iran
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Thursday, March 19, 2026.
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A senior administration official says the Pentagon is seeking $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war. The department sent the request to the White House, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private information. It’s an extraordinarily high number and comes on top of extra funding the Defense Department already received last year in President Donald Trump’s big tax cuts bill. Asked about the figure at a press conference Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not directly confirm the amount, saying it could change. Congress is bracing for a new spending request but it is unclear it would have support. Trump says it's a small price to pay for security.
It is unclear the spending request would have support.
Iran intensified its attacks on Gulf oil and gas infrastructure Thursday in retaliation for an Israeli attack on a key Iranian gas field, dramatically raising the stakes in a war that's sending shock waves through the global economy. Fuel prices soared around the world. President Donald Trump warned that if Iran continues striking its neighbors’ energy infrastructure, the U.S. would retaliate and “massively blow up the entirety” of its gas field. A senior administration official told the AP that the Pentagon asked the White House for another $200 billion as the war shows no signs of ending soon.
