It remains unclear how much the White House will ultimately ask congressional lawmakers to approve. Some White House officials do not think the Pentagon’s request has a realistic shot of being approved in Congress, the senior administration official said. The Defense Department declined to comment, and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The cost of the war in Iran has rapidly grown, exceeding $11 billion in the first week alone, according to multiple officials. The White House Office of Management and Budget objected to that total in internal discussions, suggesting it was too large.

Source: Washington Post March 19, 2026 03:07 UTC