The U.S. Department of Defense asked Congress for up to $80 billion (about 123 trillion won) in additional funding to cover military operations and other expenses related to the war with Iran.
On the 18th, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing anonymous sources, reported that Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg said in phone calls with lawmakers this week that $80 billion in additional funding is needed to cover Iran war expenses and other non-war-related expenditures.
Senior officials at the Department of Defense said that if Congress does not pass a wartime spending bill to back the additional budget expenditure, operational funds could run dry as early as this summer. They added that each service faces the prospect of reduced training and major programs due to the Iran war and troop deployments to the U.S. southern border region.
A Defense Department official said part of the additional funds would be used for ship operations, service member pay, and ammunition procurement.
The Department of Defense's previously approved fiscal 2026 budget totals about $1 trillion (about 1,530 trillion won). But expenses are said to have surged as the Trump administration carried out several large-scale military operations, from the operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to the war with Iran.
Earlier, the Department of Defense reported to Congress in May that expenses for the war with Iran over the 10 weeks since the Feb. 28 outbreak totaled $29 billion (about 45 trillion won). The additional funding the department has now requested from Congress far exceeds that earlier estimate.
The opposition Democratic Party has argued that the Trump administration's decision to bypass Congress and start the war with Iran was illegal. As a result, the Defense Department's request for additional funding may not be accepted in Congress. In the U.S. Senate, most bills typically require 60 votes to pass, and Republicans hold a majority with 53 of the 100 seats.
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy said, "They have made no effort whatsoever to share information with Congress," adding, "There are not 60 votes in the Senate to pass the supplemental."