Defense Minister Faces Harsh Questioning, President Issues Latest Threat, $37.5 Billion Burned in War Against Iran

【Global Times Special Correspondent Ren Zhong】“The Pentagon, which has invested heavily in the U.S.-Iran conflict, is quickly running out of funds.” According to a report by the Washington Post on the 21st, the Pentagon is facing an urgent budget shortfall caused by the U.S.-Iran conflict, with some key funding channels expected to be depleted within weeks. Meanwhile, the U.S. is escalating its conflict with Iran. On the 21st, U.S. forces struck Iran for the 11th consecutive night, and President Trump stated that U.S. actions are far from over. On the 22nd, he threatened that from now on, if Iran attacks a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. will bomb and destroy an Iranian bridge or power station.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on the 21st, U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper stated during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing that the cost of the war against Iran has reached $37.5 billion. The latest figure is about $9 billion higher than the data previously provided by the department.

According to Esper, the latest estimate covers specific costs from the start of hostilities on February 28 to the present, as well as other expenses expected to continue until early September. He also stated that the estimate includes some operational and maintenance costs as well as military personnel salaries. Esper requested Congress to approve an appropriation of $87.6 billion, which includes $67.1 billion for the Middle East conflict. He emphasized that “this request is an urgent and necessary infusion of resources.” If funding needs are not met, some ongoing and future training will have to be cut. He also mentioned that this supplemental funding will be included in the Department of Defense's $1.5 trillion budget request for fiscal year 2027, rather than being an additional increase.

For months, this conflict has resulted in the deaths of 18 U.S. soldiers and approximately 500 injuries. On the 21st, Esper faced tough questioning from senators regarding the rising costs of the Iran war and the lack of a clear strategy to end the conflict. Senators criticized Esper's leadership, calling him a “loser,” and questioned why he needed additional funding.

Most Democrats oppose the request for additional appropriations. Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand accused the Trump administration of seeking “unlimited funding for bomb-making” while American citizens “struggle to make ends meet.” She also questioned Esper about the contradictory statements from the U.S. government regarding the war, asking why, if Trump claimed victory, there was a need for additional investment in the war. There is also dissatisfaction within the Republican Party, with some fiscal hawks hoping to offset the budget shortfall by cutting spending in other areas. The Washington Post reported that the House of Representatives plans to enter a month-long recess on Thursday, meaning any agreement on military funding will not be reached for at least a few weeks.

Italy's La Sicilia commented on the 22nd that the Iran war has become a “bottomless pit.” Sometimes, a number resonates more than a bomb. The figure of $37.5 billion illustrates how the U.S. government's commitment to rapid action has evolved into an investment that could erode public finances and political stability in Washington. Now, with dwindling arsenals, soaring costs, and soldiers bleeding and sacrificing, the myth of U.S. military efficiency is collapsing, and Washington faces the most terrifying question: how much longer can this war last?

In Trump's words, this conflict is far from over. According to a report by Axios on the 21st, Trump stated at the White House that he has no intention of restarting negotiations with Iran, and the U.S. is “far from finished” with this war, asserting that Iran “has not yet seen the real consequences. We have always been very polite.” Trump also stated that the U.S. will strike Iran's underground nuclear facilities in Parchin, saying, “We will soon launch attacks on that area, and they will be very fierce.” Following this statement, the U.S. Central Command announced early on the 22nd that it had completed airstrikes against Iran for the 11th consecutive night, targeting Iranian aircraft hangars and drone storage facilities.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei responded on the 22nd, stating that Iran's “Parchin” has no nuclear activities, and that “the U.S.'s obsession with ‘Parchin’ is merely an excuse for its aggression, destruction, and deliberate sabotage.” According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, the Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces warned earlier on the 22nd that if U.S. forces attack Iran's nuclear facilities and other sensitive sites, Iran will consider it an escalation of regional conflict, and “all interests of the U.S. and its allies and supporters will face strong attacks from Iran.”     

According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency on the 22nd, the Iranian armed forces attacked the U.S. Amazon Central Data Infrastructure located in Bahrain, which is the “digital eye” of the U.S. Central Command and a key hub for processing and exchanging military data. Additionally, on the 22nd, the Iranian military launched a new round of drone retaliatory attacks against U.S. military facilities in Kuwait and Jordan.