Pentagon Requests $200 Billion Allocation, Iran War Budget Overruns Quadruple

Gate News reports that on March 20, the Pentagon submitted a request to the White House for approval to allocate over $200 billion for ongoing operations in Iran, indicating that the conflict costs far exceed expectations. Officials revealed that this funding is primarily intended to increase weapons production to cope with rapidly depleting stockpiles, as U.S. and Israeli forces have launched airstrikes against thousands of targets over the past three weeks.

The surge in war expenses has raised concerns. The Pentagon states that in the first week alone, the U.S. spent about $11.3 billion. External experts estimate daily expenditures between $1 billion and $2 billion, with total costs over three weeks potentially reaching $60 billion to $130 billion. If the conflict continues for five weeks, costs could reach $175 billion, and over eight weeks, possibly exceeding $250 billion. Harvard Kennedy School professor Linda Bilmes warns that veteran compensation, borrowing interest, and permanent defense budgets could push total costs into the trillions of dollars.

This funding request is expected to trigger intense debate in Congress. Democrats criticize the war, and public support remains low; Republicans generally support it, but the threshold for Senate approval has yet to be clarified. Mark Cancian, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, notes that all anti-war factions will fight over the funding. House Minority Leader Hakim Jeffries criticizes the government for insufficient justification.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Steven Van Berg, responsible for budget matters, emphasizes shortages of precision-guided weapons. However, experts point out that simply increasing funding does not guarantee faster production, which is limited by workers, factories, and raw materials. Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton calls for including intelligence funding within the defense budget.

The economic impact of the war is rapidly affecting people’s livelihoods. Since the U.S.-Israel joint strike on Iran, crude oil prices have surged to nearly $120 per barrel and remain above pre-war levels of about $70. Gasoline prices have risen to an average of $3.84 per gallon, up from $2.92 a month ago. Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate remains at 4.4%, with the latest report showing a loss of 92,000 jobs. The Federal Reserve maintains interest rates between 3.5% and 3.75%.

Overall, Iran war expenses have already quadrupled the budget, with the Pentagon requesting an additional $200 billion. Political struggles in Congress and economic chain reactions are having a profound impact on American household budgets and energy markets.