Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Thursday confirmed reports that the Defense Department is asking Congress for upwards of $200 billion to support the ongoing military operations in Iran.
The funding package is intended to cover the high costs of Operation Epic Fury — the U.S.-Israeli military campaign that began in late February 2026 — and to replenish stockpiles of high-precision munitions that are being depleted at a rapid rate.
“As far as $200 billion, I think that number could move. Obviously, it takes a lot of money to kill bad guys,” Mr. Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon. “We’re going back to Congress and our folks there to ensure that we’re properly funded for what’s being done [and] for what we may have to do in the future.”
Refilling depleted stockpiles will be accomplished “faster than anyone imagined,” the secretary said.
“We’re also still dealing with the environment that Joe Biden created, which was depleting and not sending [military ordnance] to our own military but to Ukraine,” Mr. Hegseth said. “These munitions are better spent in our own interests at this point.”
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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