Trump’s Iran War Has The Military Running Out Of Cash — And Hegseth Running To Lawmakers Hat In Hand

President Donald Trump’s Iran warfare has near nan U.S. subject cash-strapped, forcing nan Pentagon to divert costs from training and weapons purchases to plug nan gaps, according to a report.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is judge to beryllium grilled astir nan backing crunch by lawmakers Tuesday to explicate why his section requires $67 billion erstwhile he goes successful beforehand of nan Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Pentagon is facing the “urgent fund shortfall” mostly owed to nan warfare successful Iran, which has flared up again successful caller weeks arsenic some sides exchanged caller strikes, The Washington Post reports.

“Military exercises and trainings that thief support units prepared for combat are being constricted aliases canceled,” nan newspaper reports, citing existent and erstwhile Pentagon officials, while nan fund for instrumentality and installation and attraction “is besides being drained to screen nan shortfalls.”

The Pentagon precocious sought support from Congress to reallocate $4.3 cardinal from training and weapons purchases “to reside much urgent priorities,” according to a archive nan outlet obtained.

In addition, nan conflict successful Iran has reportedly put an “unexpected” strain connected nan Navy and Air Force, pinch parts of nan 2026 fund owed to tally retired by nan extremity of nan month, 2 legislature aides told nan Post. The timing is each nan much urgent fixed nan House is owed to spell connected a month-long recess connected Thursday.

“Funding our subject is not optional — it is essential,” Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said successful a connection to The Independent. “Secretary Hegseth has prioritized nan needs our of subject and our warfighters dissimilar immoderate of his predecessors. He will do immoderate is basal to protect their value of life and guarantee our subject remains nan astir ascendant unit is nan world.”

Experts warned 2 months agone that nan U.S. faces a captious three-year timeline to replenish cardinal limb stockpiles heavy depleted by nan Iran war.

The weapons systems successful mobility see Tomahawk cruise missiles, designed for heavy strikes into force territory, and Patriot and THAAD interceptors, important for defending against incoming missiles and drones, according to nan Center for Strategic and International Studies.

While nan U.S. possesses capable munitions for immoderate plausible script successful nan Iran war, nan existent depleted inventories person created a “window of vulnerability” should a conflict originate successful nan Western Pacific, nan study said.

While Hegseth said concerns complete weapons stockpiles were “a manufactured story” successful an question and reply pinch CBS past month, Pentagon officials person privately expressed “far greater anxiety” connected nan matter, according to nan Post.

The backing spread comes arsenic nan conflict successful Iran has ratcheted up, pinch some sides launching caller bombing campaigns complete nan past 10 days, and arsenic Tehran and Washington are now stuck successful a authorities of limbo, U.S. intelligence officials reportedly briefed nan Trump administration.

Three U.S. work members were killed successful nan caller strikes, while astir 100 person suffered injuries since July 7, nan Pentagon said. At slightest 17 work members person been killed since fighting collapsed retired connected February 28.

Trump warned that Iran would “pay” for nan sidesplitting of U.S. soldiers arsenic Tehran warned its “missiles and drones will rainfall down connected American criminals.”