Hegseth tells Senate Iran war has cost $37.5 billion, far below Pentagon's $200 billion-plus request

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Senate panel on July 21, 2026, that the Iran war has cost $37.5 billion to date. That figure trails the Pentagon's reported request to Congress of more than $200 billion, which a U.S. official described to Reuters in March 2026. Hegseth testified alongside Gen. Dan Caine.