A senior Pentagon official on Wednesday attached the first official figure to the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran where it was revealed that the US military campaign in Iran spent an approximate $25 billion so far. According to Reuters, Jules Hurst, acting as the comptroller, revealed the first official cost estimate of the war to the House Armed Services Committee but did not clarify what exactly the $25 billion figure included. There has been no explanation whether it considered the projected costs of rebuilding and repairing damaged US base infrastructure across West Asia.The $25 billion cost is on par with the annual budget of NASA.
The war has affected the public opinion of US President Donald Trump’s Republican Party and with only six months to go before the midterm elections, they would be looking at a tough battle to retain their House majority. Democrats have gained ground in opinion polls and have integrated the cost of the war to broader concerns about affordability.
There are doubts over how the Pentagon arrived at the figure but the estimate was justified by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, arguing it was necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
“What would you pay to ensure Iran does not get a nuclear bomb? What would you pay?” he reasoned.
Hegseth rejected criticism of the war and accused Democratic leaders of undermining US interests. He pushed back against growing opposition, describing critics as “reckless, feckless, and defeatist.”
With a fragile ceasefire in place between the United States and Iran, public support continues to wane for the Republican Party. A recent poll by Reutors/Ipsos saw that only 34% of Americans approve of the war. This indicates a decline from the estimate of 36% in mid-April and 38% in mid-March, implying growing unease as the conflict appears to see no end.
