White House budget chief Russell Vought won't estimate Iran war cost in testimony

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought told lawmakers Wednesday that he couldn’t ballpark the cost of the Iran war.

A Harvard University analyst estimates the war could cost U.S. taxpayers $1 trillion.

The White House is expected to ask Congress to fund the ongoing war, though no official request has been made yet.

Vought was testifying on Trump’s proposed budget, which calls for $1.5 trillion in defense spending for the 2027 fiscal year.

White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought told lawmakers he could not estimate the total cost of the Iran war and that the Trump administration hadn’t yet come up with a supplemental funding request to send to Congress.

“We’re not ready to come to you with a request; we’re still working on it. We’re working through to figure out what’s needed in this fiscal year versus next fiscal year,” Vought told members of the House Budget Committee on Wednesday.

“Do you have a ballpark? Will it be more than $50 billion?” Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, asked.

“I don’t have a ballpark for you, congresswoman,” Vought mentioned. This also touches on aspects of investors.

Professor Linda Bilmes, a public policy professor at Harvard University’s Kennedy School, published an analysis this month that found the war could cost taxpayers $1 trillion.

Vought was testifying on President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2027 budget request, which calls for $1.5 trillion in defense spending — a 44% growth — and a 10% cut to nondefense spending.

More than a month into the war, its total cost is still unclear, though the Trump administration is likely to request additional funds from Congress for the ongoing conflict. The Washington Post reported last week that the White House could seek between $80 billion and $100 billion, down significantly from the $200 billion the Pentagon initially proposed to the White House in March.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remarked at the time, “It takes capital to kill terrible guys.”

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