Pentagon Asks White House To Approve $200b Request To Congress For Iran War: Report

The Pentagon has asked nan White House to o.k. a much than $200 cardinal backing petition to Congress for the warfare successful Iran, according to a caller report.

It’s been astir 3 weeks since nan U.S, on pinch Israel, began launching strikes against Iran to “dismantle nan Iranian regime’s information apparatus,” according to nan U.S. military.

President Donald Trump has contentiously claimed Iran posed an “imminent” threat to Americans owed to its “nuclear ambitions” and improvement of long-range missiles. But this conflict is not free, and nan costs of it will travel retired of nan American taxpayers’ pockets.

Pentagon officials are seeking a much than $200 cardinal bump successful defense spending to support up pinch its subject run against Iran, The Washington Post reported Wednesday, citing a elder Trump management official.

There person been much than 7,800 targets struck, complete 8,000 combat flights and much than 120 Iranian vessels damaged aliases destroyed by nan U.S. subject successful nan warfare truthful far, according to U.S. Central Command.

The Washington Post’s sources said nan Defense Department has projected respective imaginable backing requests complete nan past 2 weeks.

It remains unclear which petition nan White House will put earlier lawmakers connected Capitol Hill, but immoderate Trump officials don’t deliberation nan $200 cardinal connection will realistically walk successful Congress, according to nan elder management charismatic who said to The Washington Post. The petition would apt request astatine slightest 60 votes successful nan Senate to get past nan filibuster.

The Independent has reached retired to nan White House and nan Pentagon for comment.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who serves connected nan Senate Armed Services Committee, has already said he will not support a $200 cardinal backing request.

“I deliberation its chances of passing Congress are slim, possibly slim to none. The logic is very simply — it could beryllium misinterpreted arsenic support of nan war,” Blumenthal told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Wednesday night.

“They request to person members of nan management travel to nan Congress successful opening hearings, nether oath, talk astir nan objectives, nan strategy [of nan war], which correct now is confused and chaotic,” nan legislator said.

Pentagon officials antecedently told lawmakers successful a backstage gathering that nan first six days of nan Iran warfare had an estimated costs of much than $11.3 billion, respective outlets reported astatine nan time.

Congress already approved $838.5 cardinal successful defense backing for nan 2026 fiscal year, according to nan Senate Appropriations Committee.

A caller The Economist/YouGov poll recovered 56 percent of Americans powerfully aliases somewhat disapprove of nan measurement President Donald Trump is handling nan business successful Iran, while 36 percent powerfully aliases somewhat approve.

Looking crossed statement lines, 92 percent of Democrats disapprove of Trump’s subject action successful Iran, and 81 percent of Republicans o.k. of it. Most independents, 63 percent, disapprove of nan U.S. strikes.