Democratic senators press for full cost accounting of Iran war from Pentagon

Nearly the entire Senate Democratic caucus urged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide a detailed, public accounting of the Iran war’s costs—covering base repairs, asset replacement, and ongoing maintenance—as Congress weighs a $67 billion supplemental request. The push comes amid varied cost estimates: the Defense Department inspector general pegged about $33 billion (as of June 30, excluding facility repairs), the Congressional Budget Office around $38 billion, and a top Pentagon official NPR-style estimate of about $37.5 billion so far. The lawmakers also want a transparent breakdown of how the $67 billion supplemental would be spent and how much has already been used from roughly $34 billion authorized in a recent spending bill. Forty-six Democrats signed the letter; Sen. John Fetterman did not, citing his stance on Iran accountability. The Pentagon did not immediately comment.