Hegseth campaigned in Congress for a supplementary budget of $67 billion for the Defense Department.Image: keystone
July 21, 2026, 11:51 p.mJuly 21, 2026, 11:51 p.m
According to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the war against Iran is now costing the USA $37.5 billion. Hegseth said this at a hearing in the US Senate when asked by Democratic Senator Dick Durbin. The previous estimate was $29 billion.
At the same time, Hegseth made it clear that these were not exclusively costs that had already been incurred. In addition to previous expenses, the sum also includes expected costs until the end of the current financial year on September 30th. These included, among other things, salary payments for military personnel as well as operating and maintenance costs.
Hegseth is promoting a billion-dollar supplement
Durbin further questioned whether the ongoing fighting suggested costs could rise further in the coming months. Hegseth replied that part of the $37.5 billion mentioned already takes into account expected spending until the end of September.
Hegseth campaigned in Congress for a supplementary budget of $67 billion for the Defense Department. The money is intended, among other things, to ensure the readiness of the armed forces, replace used material and accelerate investments in ammunition and new weapon systems.
Ceasefire still under pressure
He emphasized several times that the proposed supplementary budget should not replace the regular defense budget. It is intended as additional emergency aid. Given the global security situation, his goal is a defense budget of $1.5 trillion for the 2026 fiscal year.
The US and Israel began airstrikes against Iran on February 28th. The US government justifies the operation by saying it wants to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons. A ceasefire agreed in April and a framework agreement for further negotiations have recently been overshadowed by mutual attacks. There are growing concerns about further escalation. According to the US military, 18 US soldiers have now died in the war. (sda/dpa)