White House seeks $87.6 billion for Iran war costs

The White House asked Congress on Wednesday to approve $87.6 billion in emergency spending, most of it to cover what officials called “urgent needs” tied to the U.S. war with Iran, just a day after lawmakers voted to rein in President Donald Trump’s authority over the conflict.

The formal request, sent by the Office of Management and Budget to House Speaker Mike Johnson, directs about $67 billion to the Defense Department. The Pentagon funding includes $21 billion for munitions, $17.3 billion for operational costs and $12.1 billion for classified programs, according to the White House and CBS News.

“Most of this request will address urgent needs related to Operation Epic Fury,” the budget office wrote, using the administration’s name for the Iran war. OMB Director Russell Vought urged lawmakers to move quickly. “I urge the Congress to take action on these important and urgent requests as soon as possible,” he wrote to Johnson.

The request also includes money beyond the Pentagon. CBS News reported that it seeks $767.5 million for the Department of Energy related to the war and Iran’s nuclear capabilities, and $300 million for the State Department for embassy security and construction in countries around Iran. The package also includes $11.1 billion in farm aid, $1.4 billion for Ebola response efforts in Central Africa and, according to Al Jazeera, infrastructure funding including $1 billion for New York’s Penn Station and $500 million for restoration and construction in Washington, D.C.

The proposal faces a difficult path in Congress. The Iran war is unpopular with voters, and lawmakers are approaching November’s midterm elections. A Reuters/Ipsos poll cited by Al Jazeera found that 24% of respondents believed the war was worth its cost.

The request landed after Congress passed a war powers resolution calling on Trump to halt U.S. military activities against Iran unless Congress approves them. The BBC reported that it was the first resolution of its kind to clear Congress instructing a president to end a military action since the War Powers Resolution of 1973 was enacted. Al Jazeera reported that four Senate Republicans — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rand Paul of Kentucky — crossed party lines to support the measure. CBS News reported that eight Republicans helped push through a war powers resolution this month.

Trump met with Senate Republicans behind closed doors Wednesday in a tense session on Capitol Hill. According to CBS, he complained about the war powers vote and criticized Republicans who supported it. Cassidy later told reporters he confronted the president over the administration’s handling of the conflict.

“I stood and said, ‘You have not told the American people what’s going on,’” Cassidy said, according to Al Jazeera. “This was supposed to last four weeks. It’s lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved.” He said he would continue voting for war powers resolutions until Congress received a full briefing on the war effort.

Democrats signaled strong opposition. “After dragging America into a reckless war, he now wants Congress to hand him tens of billions more to paper over the damage — while families are still paying higher prices,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, according to CBS.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, called the proposal “an attempt to secure tens of billions of additional dollars for unrelated Pentagon priorities that should rightly be considered through the annual appropriations process.” She added: “I will closely review this request in its entirety and ensure we take care of our servicemembers, but I will not rubberstamp tens of billions more for this disastrous war of choice.”

Some Republicans backed the request. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the funding “essential,” saying it would “accelerate immediate production of key capabilities, from exquisite munitions to low-cost hypersonics, strike weapons and drones.” Representatives Tom Cole of Oklahoma and Ken Calvert of California said in a joint statement that Trump’s request “reflects the reality that our defense strength must be maintained, not merely demonstrated.”