Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) stated on Sunday, November 1, 2026, that he would advocate for halting all U.S. military funding for the ongoing conflict in Iran. Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Khanna said that the House and Senate should use their appropriations power to end the war, comparing the proposed strategy to the congressional actions that ended the Vietnam War. He noted that such measures would not be subject to a presidential veto.
The statement comes amid an eight-month conflict that has resulted in the deaths of 21 U.S. service members and cost $47 billion as of October 2026. These figures do not include the costs of damage to U.S. military bases in the Middle East. Khanna has previously collaborated with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) on war powers resolutions intended to force floor votes on the conflict, though those efforts have not been successful.
During his appearance, Khanna linked the continuation of the war to economic factors, specifically citing higher gas and diesel prices. He suggested that a Democratic-controlled Congress would act "on day one" to zero out appropriations for the conflict. When asked by anchor Shannon Bream if he would defund operations while U.S. military personnel and assets remain in the region, Khanna reiterated his position that the House and Senate should stop funding for any further actions in the Iran War.
The scale of the conflict is significant, with $47 billion spent over eight months, which translates to nearly $5.9 billion per month in federal spending. A poll by AP-NORC indicated that approximately 70% of respondents believe ending the conflict should be a legislative priority. The proposal sets a precedent for using the "power of the purse"—a constitutional authority that allows Congress to control government spending—to override executive branch military strategy without needing to override a veto.
What happens next depends on the results of the November 3 midterm elections. Khanna has framed the vote as a choice between candidates like Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), whom he associates with continuing the war, and Abdul El-Sayed (D-Mich.), whom he associates with ending it. Reports from senior Gulf Arab officials cited by MS NOW suggest that U.S. strikes against Iran are expected to restart or increase on the day following the midterm elections.