WASHINGTON: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Senate appropriations committee that the United States has spent $37.5 billion on the conflict involving Iran so far and warned that the Pentagon requires additional funding to address growing global security challenges.
Appearing before the Senate committee responsible for allocating federal funds, Hegseth said the estimated $37.5 billion includes projected military expenditures through September 30.
“This is the time to invest in America’s service members, not to reduce defense spending,” Hegseth told lawmakers. “Without adequate funding, it would pose one of the greatest risks to our national security. The Pentagon needs a fully funded budget to respond to global threats.”
The defense secretary presented the funding request after delivering a classified briefing to members of the Senate.
According to media reports, the Trump administration has asked Congress to approve approximately $87 billion in funding to support operations related to the escalating confrontation with Iran.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that U.S. financial resources allocated for the conflict with Iran are being depleted rapidly, increasing pressure on the administration to secure additional congressional approval.
Protest Disrupts Senate Hearing
Hegseth’s appearance before the Senate committee was interrupted several times by demonstrators protesting U.S. military operations.
Protesters shouted slogans calling for an end to military actions in Iran and Palestine, accusing the government of carrying out unlawful attacks and demanding an immediate end to the conflict.
Among the chants heard during the hearing were calls to “stop bombing our children in Iran and Palestine” and assertions that the war was directed against the Iranian people. Some protesters also claimed that former U.S. military personnel were urging the government to end the conflict immediately.
The repeated disruptions forced the committee to pause proceedings multiple times. When demonstrators refused to leave voluntarily, the committee chair requested police assistance to remove them from the hearing room.
The funding request now moves to Congress, where lawmakers are expected to debate the administration’s proposed defense spending amid continued discussion over U.S. military commitments and the broader implications of the conflict with Iran.
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