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Hegseth Warns $1.5T Budget Risk After $37.5B Iran War Cost

7/23/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 21, 2026 that the Iran war has cost $37.5 billion, covering operations, maintenance and personnel pay through September 30, 2026.
He defended a $67 billion supplemental request embedded in President Donald Trump’s $87.6 billion budget proposal.
He warned that failing to approve a $1.5 trillion 2027 defense budget would be a risk and noted $75 billion remains unspent.

History

Historical Context

After the 1990-91 Gulf War, the U.S. pursued containment through sanctions, no-fly zones and the 1998 Iraq Liberation Act, then escalated to the 2003 invasion launched by President George W. Bush, which the Department of Defense later tallied at $815 billion. Echoing those budget pressures, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cites the Iran-Iraq war’s $37.5 billion cost, shaping current congressional debates.

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Story summary

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 21, 2026 that the Iran war has cost $37.5 billion, covering operations, maintenance and personnel pay through September 30, 2026.
He defended a $67 billion supplemental request embedded in President Donald Trump’s $87.6 billion budget proposal.
He warned that failing to approve a $1.5 trillion 2027 defense budget would be a risk and noted $75 billion remains unspent.

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