On March 18, the Pentagon asked the White House to approve a request of over $200 billion in funding for the Iran War. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the estimated cost of the first six days of the war was over $11.3 billion. However, there is little clarity from the White House on the total cost of the war so far. There is no news of the $200 billion request being passed to Congress.
An issue raised with the request was the lack of transparency regarding how this large sum of funding will be allocated. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, asserts that it needs to be stated where the money is going. “So, you can’t just say, ‘I need $200 billion,’ and not expect questions from me,” Ernest stated.
Ernst also raises the issue of how spending billions of dollars on the war with Iran can be wasteful, especially at a time when U.S. funding for organizations like the Department of Homeland Security is still being heavily debated politically. She believes that Democrats will not support the Defense Department if the money is approved.
On March 25, Pete Aguilar, chairman of the Democratic Caucus, made statements in response to the news of the Pentagon’s request. He said that Trump has “wreaked havoc on America and abroad.” Aguilar mentioned several compelling current issues, like ICE-related violence, gas prices, the government shutdown and its impact on TSA, and the lack of funding for American healthcare. Ultimately, Aguilar denounced the $200 billion request as unreasonable and unnecessary.
“The American people want health care, not warfare,” Aguilar said. “Instead, [Trump] has been actively driving up costs at the pump and grocery store and unleashed out-of-control ICE agents across the country to terrorize immigrants, detain children, and kill U.S. citizens. And the worst part is that it doesn’t have to be this way.”
In an address delivered April 1, Trump claimed that the war operation against Iran, titled “Epic Fury,” is “nearing completion.” There are plans to increase military action in the coming weeks, but amid rising oil prices and falling stocks, this address does not suffice to cover the costs borne by American civilians. The national average gas price as of April 2 is $4.08 per gallon, according to AAA, with some prices reaching $5 per gallon.
Billions more of tax dollars are looking to be spent on war. There doesn’t seem to be a clear picture of how or when the international conflict will end. House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro announced the news, reminding listeners that the $200 billion comes from American taxpayers. These are the same taxpayers who are struggling to make ends meet or pay for groceries. She asserts that the Trump administration is not using the funding to prioritize Americans and is not addressing Americans losing access to healthcare.
“Democrats will continue fighting to bring down costs for working families,” DeLauro said. “President Trump and Republicans can join us or ignore the priorities of the American people by spending billions on endless, deadly wars. The choice is theirs.”
Should the war continue, it will no doubt affect American citizens in a plethora of ways. With the financial strain that comes from rising living costs, more conflict will worsen it.