The question asked “for a very long time” and to which “no one has provided the figure”. The Pentagon provides the first official estimate
The United States' war in Iran has so far cost $25 billion, a senior Pentagon official said on Wednesday, providing the first official estimate of the conflict's military costs.
With just six months to go before the midterm elections, in which Trump's Republicans could face an uphill battle to retain their majority in the House of Representatives, Democrats are riding high in opinion polls, trying to link the unpopular Iran war with the financial problems caused by the rising cost of living.
Most of the money, spent on ammunition
Acting Comptroller Jules Hurst told lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee that most of the money was spent on ammunition.
Hurst did not say what that cost estimate included and whether it took into account the projected prices for rebuilding and repairing the infrastructure of bases in the Middle East damaged so far during the conflict.
Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, responded to Hurst: “I'm glad you answered that question. Because we've been asking it for a very long time and no one has given us the number.”
The United States began launching strikes against Iran on February 28, and the two sides currently maintain a fragile truce. The Pentagon has sent tens of thousands of additional troops to the Middle East, deploying three aircraft carriers to the region, among other warships.
Thirteen American soldiers have been killed so far in the conflict, and hundreds have been wounded.
Trump's popularity at a record low
Disruptions in oil and natural gas supplies since the start of the war caused a spike in the prices of gasoline and agricultural products such as fertilizer, in addition to the long list of other consumer goods prices that were raised.
US President Donald Trump's job approval rating has hit the lowest level in the Republican's second term in the White House, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The survey, which took four days and ended on Monday, shows that only 34 percent of Americans approve of Donald Trump's performance as president of the United States, down from 36 percent in the previous Reuters/Ipsos poll, which was conducted from April 15-20.
Reuters said most of the responses were gathered before Saturday night's gun attack at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, where Donald Trump was in attendance and was due to deliver a speech. Federal prosecutors have charged the suspect arrested in the case, a 31-year-old man, with trying to assassinate the president.
Trump's popularity in the eyes of the American public has declined since he began his second term in January 2025, when his job approval rating was at 47%.
Reuters notes that the president's popularity has suffered because of the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran and the consequences of the conflict, including rising fuel prices domestically.
Only 22 percent of survey respondents approved of Donald Trump's actions regarding the cost of living. In the previous Reuters/Ipsos survey, the level was 25%.
The survey was conducted online, nationwide, with 1,014 US adults as respondents, and has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
