USA Today: Pentagon Says Iran War Costs $25 Billion. See How It Measures Up
Pentagon faces scrutiny over Iran war cost estimate, with accusations of misleading Congress as independent figures suggest expenses exceed $72 billion.
- Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth and Acting Comptroller Jules Hurst testified to Congress on April 29 that the Iran War cost $25 billion through 60 days, though experts and lawmakers immediately questioned the figure.
- Stephen Semler, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, argued Wednesday that the $25 billion estimate ignores damaged assets and munitions replacement costs, calculating the actual total at $71.8 billion.
- Munitions account for roughly $15 billion to $20 billion of total expenses, with the Pentagon's $25 billion figure nearly eight times the $3.3 billion Congress allocated to the National Park Service in 2025.
- During the hearing, Rep. Ro Khanna challenged Hegseth, telling him 'your $25 billion number is totally off,' while the Pentagon has not detailed its calculation despite signaling a need for additional funding.
- President Trump warned Wednesday that if Iran refuses U.S. terms, bombing will increase in 'level and intensity,' as officials may seek funds beyond the current $1.5 trillion budget request for next year.
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The Staggering Cost Of The Iran War - The Ron Paul Institute for Peace & Prosperity
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s claim that the Iran war has cost the US $25 billion is laughable. The actual cost according to a new study is at least three times more than that. And that leaves out other costs such as opportunity costs. And what did the US get out of this?
Expert: Iran war cost $72 billion over first two months
A new report finds the Iran war has cost the U.S. nearly $72 billion in its first 60 days — about $1.2 billion per day. Stephen Semler, journalist and co-founder of the Security Policy Reform Institute, produced the new estimate for the Popular Information newsletter. His $71.8 billion total accounts for the cost of operations, weapons, and U.S. subsidies for Israel’s bombs and interceptors. And it includes the roughly $11.9 billion in military …
Expert's math lesson catches Pete Hegseth in $71 billion lie
The Pentagon’s official estimate of the direct financial cost of the US war on Iran is a nearly threefold undercount of the actual price tag of the war, according to an expert analysis published Wednesday.Stephen Semler, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, produced the new cost e...
Expert Puts True Cost of Trump's Iran War at $72 Billion—Nearly 3 Times Higher Than Pentagon Said
"The $25 billion war cost given by Pentagon Secretary Hegseth and acting Comptroller Hurst before Congress was a lie. It was a denial of the Iran war’s spiraling costs."
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