Secretary of War Pete Hegseth appeared to confirm Thursday that the Trump administration is contemplating asking Congress to approve $200 billion in supplemental funding amid the war in Iran.
On Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that the Pentagon had asked the White House to make the $200 billion ask to lawmakers in order to replenish America’s munitions stockpile.
“As far as the $200 billion, I think that number could move, obviously,” Hegseth told reporters. “It takes money to kill bad guys. So we’re going back to Congress and our folks there to ensure that we’re properly funded for what’s being done.”
The amount requested is believed to be far beyond what the US has actually expended so far in its sweeping bombing campaign to cripple the Iranian regime, indicating a wider goal to beef up America’s defense industrial base amid fears that America’s ability to rapidly produce weapons has degraded over time.
“An investment like this is meant to say, ‘Hey, we’ll replace anything that was spent.’ And now … we’re reviving our defense industrial base and rebuilding the arsenal of freedom,” Hegseth added.
It’s not clear how much money the Trump administration will ultimately decide to ask Congress.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are likely to be skeptical about the eye-watering request from the White House, due to the massive price tag and ongoing apprehension about the war.
The Senate voted down a war powers resolution on Wednesday that would have blocked President Trump from further ramping up operations in the Middle East.
Trump has long been a proponent of boosting military spending. Prior to the war, he publicly called for a massive $1.5 trillion annual defense budget, a 50% increase from current outlays.
That suggestion faced pushback from fiscal hawks within the congressional GOP. Republicans are defending narrow majorities in the House and Senate in the November midterm elections.
