President Donald Trump is preparing a $98 billion supplemental spending request tied to U.S. military operations in Iran, a sharply reduced figure from earlier Pentagon proposals, according to two people familiar with the administration’s thinking.
Defense officials initially floated packages approaching $250 billion to cover the cost of deploying troops, ships, aircraft and weapons to the region, and to accelerate munitions production — a key Pentagon priority. Some estimates place the cost of Operation Epic Fury so far at $25 billion to $35 billion.
The $98 billion is not expected to cover defense alone. White House officials have discussed linking disaster aid and aviation modernization to attract more support on Capitol Hill, according to one of three people familiar with the administration’s deliberations and Capitol Hill dynamics who were granted anonymity to discuss them.
The smaller request reflects pushback from White House budget officials and political realities on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers in both parties have signaled resistance to large new war spending.
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The Washington Post first reported that the administration would propose a much-reduced supplemental spending request between $80 billion and $100 billion.
The defense portion will include $40 billion to cover operations and maintenance costs and another $24 billion to expand production for expensive munitions in heavy demand, such as Patriot interceptors and Tomahawk missiles.
In the most recent defense authorization bill, Congress granted the Pentagon authority to enter into multiyear contracts for munitions, a top priority for the administration. The new funding, if enacted, would allow the Pentagon to go forward with those plans.
Trump wants Congress to pass a $1.5 trillion defense budget, which would boost the military’s budget by more than 40% in the fiscal year beginning in October. The White House has relegated $350 billion of that figure to the party-line reconciliation process to get around the Senate filibuster and avoid bipartisan negotiations.
Even at $98 billion, the proposal faces steep odds on Capitol Hill, where Democrats in large numbers and some Republican fiscal hawks are expected to oppose it. Among other factors, the war is raising gas prices and polling poorly ahead of the midterm elections in November.
Congress, which has been bracing for the request, is expected to receive it as early as Friday. Lawmakers have expressed growing unease with the war. They have not authorized it, but Democratic leaders say they will force votes next week on war powers resolutions aimed at halting U.S. military operations.
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