Trump’s Defense Funding Push Stumbles Amid Senate Gridlock and Iran War Costs

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, has been hospitalized since June 14 for undisclosed medical issues. His prolonged absence leaves the Senate unable to advance any defense-funding legislation without Democratic support, a scenario the GOP lacks. With only 24 days remaining in the congressional calendar, the stalled process threatens a funding gap for the Pentagon even as the United States continues operations against Iran and in the Caribbean.

The Hill

President Donald Trump is pressing for a historic $1.5 trillion defense budget for fiscal 2027, a figure that would require a supplemental $87 billion to backfill resources depleted by the Iran war (“Operation Epic Fury”). The war, which began in February 2025, has already cost the Pentagon roughly $30 billion according to the Office of Management and Budget, while independent estimates range from $38.6 billion (American Enterprise Institute) to as high as $100 billion (Harvard Kennedy School’s Linda J. Bilmes).

The Hill

• Senate GOP majority: 53-47.

The Hill

• Proposed supplemental request: $87 billion (includes $21 billion for munitions, $17.3 billion for operational costs, $5.1 billion for cybersecurity, $2.4 billion for drones).

The Hill

• Reported munitions fired in the Iran campaign: over 13,000 strike weapons.

The Hill

• Daily cost of low-intensity operations after the ceasefire: about $300 million.

The Hill

• Former congressional aide Katherine Thompson (Cato Institute) warned that “if they want to get this bill done, they may have to look at doing something pretty drastic, like potentially removing [McConnell] from his role on the Appropriations Committee.”

The Hill

• Sen. McConnell, in a May hearing, called the reliance on one-time reconciliation spending “really quite a risky approach,” and later asserted it was “safe to conclude there will not be another reconciliation bill, so it’s really not an option.”

The Hill

• Pentagon Acting CFO Jules Hurst III testified that the $30 billion war cost stems from “updated repair and replacement of equipment costs and also just general operational costs keep people in theater.”

The Hill

Democratic lawmakers have expressed skepticism that the $87 billion supplemental can be passed without a bipartisan deal, noting the slim Republican margin and the risk of defections. Defense analyst Mackenzie Eaglen (American Enterprise Institute) warned of a “deep squeeze across the force,” citing zero remaining funds for repair, maintenance, and base support after reallocations to the Iran operation.

The Hill

Estimates of the Iran war’s total cost diverge sharply: the Pentagon cites $30 billion, while Bilmes argues the figure could exceed $100 billion due to accounting deficiencies. No definitive timeline exists for McConnell’s return, and the Senate has not disclosed a contingency plan for the defense appropriations deadline.

The Hill

• Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) has delayed a markup originally slated for late June, leaving the fate of the defense bill uncertain.

The Hill

• The White House must secure Democratic votes for the supplemental request before the September 30 fiscal-year deadline to avoid a funding lapse.

The Hill

• If the Senate cannot act, leadership may consider removing McConnell from the committee, a move Thompson described as “potentially drastic.”

The Hill

The convergence of a critical health crisis in Senate leadership, soaring war expenditures, and an ambitious defense budget places the Trump administration’s defense agenda at a precarious crossroads.

The Hill

Verbatim Quotes

The Hill

• “If he’s going to be absent for an extended period of time [and] if they want to get this bill done, they may have to look at doing something pretty drastic, like potentially removing [McConnell] from his role on the Appropriations Committee and appointing a new Republican.” — Katherine Thompson, former congressional aide, Cato Institute

The Hill

• “I think they’re so limited on time that whatever pathway they’re going to choose, it’s going to have to be one that they can execute fast. And I’m just not sure that they can execute it that fast without canceling part of a recess.” — Katherine Thompson

The Hill

• “The reliance of this budget request on one-time reconciliation spending is really quite a risky approach.” — Mitch McConnell, Senate Appropriations Chair

The Hill

• “Safe to conclude there will not be another reconciliation bill, so it’s really not an option.” — Mitch McConnell, Senate hearing, June 9 2025

The Hill

• “That’s because of updated repair and replacement of equipment costs and also just general operational costs keep people in theater.” — Jules Hurst III, Pentagon Acting CFO

The Hill

• “The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!” — President Donald Trump, Truth Social post

The Hill