The Pentagon is pushing for White House approval of a more than $200 billion funding bid to be submitted to Congress for the Iran war, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing a senior official.
The proposal is “almost certain” to face resistance from lawmakers who oppose the war, the report added.
The proposed figure would significantly exceed the cost of the administration's airstrike campaign so far, and is intended to rapidly ramp up production of key munitions depleted during weeks of US and Israeli strikes on thousands of targets, according to three sources familiar with the discussions.
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Officials say the cost of the war in Iran escalated rapidly, crossing the $11 billion mark within the first week. In the early stages of the US–Israeli campaign launched late last month, the Trump administration began preparing an additional budget request to offset expenses and safeguard military readiness worldwide, as per the report.
There is no clarity yet on the amount the White House will request from Congress. A senior official noted that some inside the administration are doubtful the Pentagon's bid would pass. In the past two weeks, the department has circulated a range of funding proposals, according to the official and three people briefed on the matter.
The proposed funding package is expected to trigger a fierce political contest in Congress, with public backing for the campaign remaining limited and Democrats voicing strong opposition. While Republicans have indicated tentative support for the supplemental request, they have yet to outline a strategy or identify a route to clear the Senate's 60-vote hurdle.
According to a Reuters report, the Trump administration is reviewing plans to dispatch thousands of US troops to support its mission in the Middle East. Such a deployment would provide the President with more options as he considers expanding the war, now in its third week.
Among the options under consideration is ensuring the safe transit of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a task expected to rely largely on air and naval power, sources said. However, safeguarding the waterway could also necessitate deploying US troops along Iran's coastline, according to four sources, including two US officials, reported Reuters.
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