The White House has asked Congress to approve $87.6 billion in additional spending, with most of the funding earmarked for military requirements linked to the United States’ ongoing conflict with Iran, setting up a potentially difficult debate on Capitol Hill as lawmakers weigh the costs of a war that has drawn increasing political scrutiny.
A formal request was delivered Wednesday by the Office of Management and Budget to House Speaker Mike Johnson. Administration officials described the package as necessary to meet urgent requirements associated with Operation Epic Fury, the military campaign against Iran.
Of the total amount requested, approximately $67 billion would be directed to the Department of Defense. The proposal allocates $21 billion for munitions, $17.3 billion for operational expenses and $12.1 billion for classified programs. Additional defense funding would support other military needs arising from the conflict.
The spending request arrives despite a ceasefire currently being observed by Washington and Tehran. Administration officials argue that the Pentagon must replenish equipment and weapons inventories following months of military operations.
Security concerns across the region also feature prominently in the proposal. Roughly $300 million would be used to strengthen protection at U.S. embassies and diplomatic facilities in the Middle East and South Asia after several sites faced attacks earlier in the conflict.
Not all of the requested funding is tied to military activities. The package includes about $11 billion in assistance for American farmers and $1.4 billion intended to support efforts to combat an Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
The request was submitted one day after Congress approved a resolution criticizing the president’s military action against Iran. Although largely symbolic, the measure marked a significant political setback for the administration and represented the first congressional resolution of its kind to clear both chambers directing a president to end an ongoing military operation.
The congressional vote has exposed divisions within the president’s own party. Several Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in supporting the measure, prompting sharp criticism from President Donald Trump.
During a closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans on Wednesday, tensions over the conflict and its objectives reportedly surfaced. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, one of the Republicans who backed the resolution, later told reporters he confronted the president during the gathering.
Cassidy said he challenged the administration’s handling of the war and questioned the lack of public clarity regarding its progress. He argued that the conflict had extended far beyond initial expectations and that its original goals had not yet been achieved.
Trump also criticized the vote publicly during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, accusing lawmakers who supported the resolution of undermining the war effort. Earlier, he had dismissed the congressional action as ineffective and poorly timed, while also attacking several Republican supporters of the measure on social media.
Political resistance could complicate the administration’s effort to secure the funding. Public support for the conflict has weakened in recent months, and lawmakers from both parties are facing voters ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Questions about the financial burden of the war have become increasingly prominent. Last month, Pentagon Chief Financial Officer Jules Hurst told lawmakers that military operations against Iran had cost roughly $29 billion to date.
However, some defense analysts and members of Congress contend that the figure does not capture the full economic impact of the conflict, including broader military expenditures and long-term costs associated with sustaining operations in the region.
Congress is expected to begin reviewing the spending package in the coming weeks, with debate likely to focus on both the strategic direction of the Iran campaign and the growing price tag attached to it.
