The Pentagon has requested the White House’s approval to submit a $200 billion-plus funding request to Congress to support the ongoing war in Iran, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday.
A senior administration official confirmed the ask, noting that the amount is expected to face significant resistance from lawmakers opposed to further US involvement in the conflict.
This request, which would far exceed the costs of the administration’s airstrike campaign thus far, is designed to urgently ramp up the production of critical weaponry, according to The Washington Post. These supplies have been rapidly expended as US and Israeli forces have struck thousands of targets in Iran over the past three weeks, according to sources familiar with the matter. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal planning.
While it remains unclear how much the White House will ultimately propose to Congress, some officials doubt the request will pass, considering the growing opposition. The Pentagon has floated several different funding proposals over the past two weeks, according to sources close to the administration.
The funding request is likely to spark a major political battle in Congress. Public support for the war remains lukewarm, and Democrats have been sharply critical. Although Republicans have shown some support for the supplemental funding request, they have yet to outline a clear legislative strategy or navigate the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.
This new funding request for Iran comes as the cost of the conflict has skyrocketed, surpassing $11 billion in just the first week.
Before the conflict in Iran, President Trump had advocated for a $1.5 trillion defense budget for the year, a proposal that would represent more than a 50 percent increase from the previous year. It remains uncertain how this supplemental funding request will impact that budget. The White House Office of Management and Budget has raised concerns about the size of the request in internal discussions, labeling it too large.