The United States has reportedly spent an amount equivalent to NASA’s entire annual budget on the ongoing conflict involving Iran, with a significant portion of the expenditure going toward munitions.
According to a Reuters report citing a senior Pentagon official, the US has spent around $25 billion so far on the war effort. Jules Hurst, acting comptroller, provided the first official estimate of the conflict’s military costs during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee.
However, questions remain over how the Pentagon arrived at the $25 billion figure. Earlier reports had suggested that the Trump administration estimated the first six days of the conflict alone cost at least $11.3 billion. Hurst did not clarify what exactly is included in the latest estimate or whether it accounts for additional expenses such as rebuilding or repairing damaged US military infrastructure in the Middle East.
The disclosure has drawn sharp reactions from lawmakers. Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the committee, noted that Congress had repeatedly requested detailed cost breakdowns without receiving clear answers.
The rising cost of the conflict has also become a political flashpoint ahead of the US midterm elections. Democrats have linked the war to broader concerns over affordability and economic pressure on citizens, while President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have reportedly declined since the conflict began on February 28.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the spending before Congress, arguing that the cost was justified to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He challenged critics by asking what price would be acceptable to ensure such an outcome.
The hearings also saw heated exchanges, with Democrats describing the conflict as a “quagmire” and a “political and economic disaster,” while Hegseth strongly rejected those claims, accusing critics of undermining troops and national security efforts.
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