United States President Donald Trump has asked Congress to approve an emergency spending package worth $87.6 billion, with most of the money earmarked for costs linked to the U.S. military campaign against Iran.
The request landed on Capitol Hill just one day after Congress delivered a rare bipartisan rebuke of the war by passing a resolution calling on the president to halt military action or seek congressional approval.
According to a letter sent by the White House Office of Management and Budget to House Speaker Mike Johnson, roughly $67 billion of the proposed funding would go to the Pentagon to cover what officials described as “urgent needs” related to Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military operation against Iran.
The funding request includes $21 billion for weapons and munitions, $17.3 billion for operational expenses, and another $12.1 billion for classified defense programs.
Additional funds would be directed toward non-military priorities, including $11 billion in aid for American farmers and $1.4 billion to support efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
The proposal now heads to Congress, where it faces a difficult path. Lawmakers from both parties have grown increasingly uneasy about a conflict that has stretched into its fifth month and remains unpopular with many voters ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Although Washington and Tehran are currently observing a ceasefire, the administration argues the military still needs substantial resources to replenish depleted stockpiles and maintain readiness following months of combat operations.
The request also includes approximately $300 million to strengthen security at U.S. embassies and diplomatic facilities across the Middle East and South Asia, several of which came under threat during the conflict.
The funding push comes as skepticism over Trump’s Iran strategy deepens within his own party.
Earlier Wednesday, the president met Senate Republicans behind closed doors on Capitol Hill after abruptly cancelling a signing ceremony for a bipartisan housing bill. During the meeting, Trump reportedly expressed frustration over Tuesday’s Senate vote aimed at limiting his authority to continue the war without congressional approval.
The resolution, though largely symbolic, marked the first time Congress successfully passed a measure directing a president to end an ongoing military action.
Before the meeting, Trump dismissed the vote as “poorly timed and meaningless.” He later intensified his criticism on social media, branding the four Republican senators who joined Democrats in supporting the measure as “losers.”
One of those lawmakers, Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, revealed afterward that he had a heated exchange with the president during the luncheon.
“I stood and said, ‘You have not told the American people what’s going on,'” Cassidy told reporters.
“This was supposed to last four weeks. It’s lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved.”
Trump continued his criticism later in the day while meeting NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, accusing lawmakers who supported the resolution of undermining the war effort.
“We had four Republican senators and all Democrats,” Trump said. “They want to lose the war because they’re stupid.”
Questions over the true cost of the conflict have also intensified.
Last month, Pentagon Chief Financial Officer Jules Hurst told lawmakers the war had cost approximately $29 billion. However, defense experts and members of Congress argue that figure significantly understates the broader economic and military burden of the conflict.
With Congress already divided over the war and election season approaching, Trump’s request is likely to spark another fierce battle on Capitol Hill over the future of U.S. involvement in Iran.
