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Fez – US President Donald Trump has asked Congress to approve $87.6 billion in additional funding, most of it linked to the ongoing war with Iran, despite growing political opposition and concerns over the cost of the war.
The request was submitted by the White House Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday, one day after Congress passed a resolution criticizing the administration’s military action against Iran.
According to BBC News, about $67 billion of the requested funding would go to the Department of Defense.
The administration said the money is needed to cover urgent military requirements related to Operation Epic Fury, the US military campaign against Iran.
The proposal includes $21 billion for munitions, $17.3 billion for operational expenses, and $12.1 billion for classified defense programs.
It also seeks around $300 million to strengthen security at US embassies and diplomatic facilities across the Middle East and South Asia.
Additional funding in the package would support domestic and international programs, including $11 billion for American farmers and $1.4 billion to help combat the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
The funding request comes at a politically sensitive time.
Although a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran is currently in place, the war remains unpopular with many American voters ahead of November’s midterm elections.
The issue has also exposed divisions within the Republican Party.
Several Republican senators joined Democrats earlier this week in supporting a resolution that called on Trump to end the war or seek congressional approval before continuing military operations.
Among them was Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who later said he had challenged the president during a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill.
Cassidy argued that the administration had not fully explained the war’s objectives to the American public and noted that the war had lasted longer than originally expected.
However, after receiving further briefings from senior administration officials, Cassidy later changed his position and voted against a second war powers resolution in the Senate.
Trump dismissed the earlier congressional vote, describing it as “poorly timed and meaningless.”
He also criticized Republican lawmakers who supported the measure, accusing them of undermining the country’s war effort.
Despite congressional criticism, the White House argues that the Pentagon must replenish military supplies and rebuild stockpiles following months of operations.
Last month, Pentagon Chief Financial Officer Jules Hurst estimated that the war had cost around $29 billion so far.
However, some lawmakers and defense analysts believe the overall financial impact of the war is significantly higher.
The funding proposal now faces a difficult path through Congress, where concerns about the war’s cost, duration, and political consequences continue to grow despite the current ceasefire.
