Concerns Rise Over U.S. Defense Budget Depletion Amid Iran Conflict; Congressional Approval Uncertain

Concerns are growing that the U.S. defense budget could be depleted faster than expected due to the prolonged war with Iran.

While the Donald Trump administration is pushing for additional budget allocation, the prospects for its passage remain uncertain due to anti-war sentiment in Congress and concerns over the fiscal burden.

The Washington Post (WP) reported on July 21 (local time) that the U.S. Department of Defense is rapidly approaching a budget crisis due to the war with Iran, with some core budget items expected to be exhausted within weeks.

Current and former officials stated that due to the budget shortfall, the Department of Defense is scaling back or canceling training necessary to maintain combat readiness.

They also noted that funds originally allocated for the maintenance and repair of equipment and facilities are being diverted to cover war costs.

With ceasefire negotiations with Iran having collapsed and armed clashes between the two sides continuing, the budgetary burden on the Department of Defense is expected to intensify further.

In particular, multiple congressional aides reported that for the Navy and Air Force, which have deployed aircraft and warships to the Middle East, some of the budget supporting this year's operations is expected to be exhausted by the end of this month.

The Department of Defense has already begun reallocating its budget to fill the funding gap before the 2027 fiscal year begins on October 1.

The White House has requested $67 billion (approximately 99.23 trillion won) in additional budget support from Congress to cover war costs, but the processing of the budget bill remains deadlocked due to disagreements within Congress.

These officials said that if Congress does not take action, military authorities will soon be forced to make much more painful choices.

According to documents obtained by the WP, the Department of Defense recently requested congressional approval to reallocate $4.3 billion previously earmarked for training and weapons procurement to other more urgent needs, but Congress has yet to grant approval.

The House of Representatives is expected to hold a vote this week on a bill that would approve $73 billion (approximately 108.12 trillion won) in new defense spending, an amount larger than what the White House requested.

House Republicans appear likely to utilize budget reconciliation procedures to expedite the processing of some of the funding.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Kane are scheduled to appear at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing today to emphasize the need for prompt funding.

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought is also reported to be explaining the necessity of the budget support to Republican lawmakers today.

Director Vought reported to Congress last month that the war with Iran has cost approximately $30 billion (approximately 44.42 trillion won) so far, but some experts believe the actual costs are significantly higher.

The White House's estimate of war costs does not include the expenses for rebuilding U.S. military bases in the Middle East that were damaged by Iranian attacks.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.