Forty-six members of the Senate Democratic caucus sent a letter on September 17 to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding a detailed financial accounting of the war with Iran. The letter, led by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), was signed by every member of the caucus except Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), including independent Sens. Bernie Sanders (VT) and Angus King (ME). The lawmakers requested a breakdown of all direct and indirect costs incurred to date by September 30.
The request comes as the conflict enters its seventh month. According to the letter, the war has resulted in the deaths of 18 American servicemembers and injuries to more than 820 others, with over 50,000 troops currently deployed to the Middle East. The senators noted that the conflict has exceeded the six-week duration initially predicted by President Donald Trump. While the Pentagon's inspector general estimated war expenditures at $33 billion through June 30, internal Pentagon figures reported by NBC News suggest the total cost, including base reconstruction and weapons restocking, ranges between $80 billion and $100 billion.
The senators criticized the Pentagon for what they described as a lack of transparency compared to previous conflicts. They noted that Secretary Hegseth has provided seven briefings to Congress in six months, whereas former Secretary Donald Rumsfeld appeared 20 times during the first six months of the Iraq War. The letter also highlighted that the administration's $67 billion supplemental funding request is seven pages long, contrasting it with the 100-page documents provided during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A $1.2 billion line item in the current request is listed only as "administration priorities."
The transparency dispute centers on how the Pentagon manages tens of billions in taxpayer funds. Specifically, the senators are seeking a plan for $34 billion in leftover funds from the "Big Beautiful Bill" and an itemized list of expenditures for base damage and naval equipment wear. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported on September 15 that the conflict is currently costing between $2 billion and $3 billion per month. Without the requested breakdown, lawmakers argue they cannot fulfill their oversight duties regarding whether funds are being used to reimburse past expenses or fund future operations.
The outcome of this demand may influence the upcoming vote on the $67 billion supplemental funding request. Sen. Fetterman, the lone Democratic holdout, stated his record is consistent in supporting efforts to confront the Iranian regime and its proxies, having previously supported the February strike on Iran and voted against limiting war powers. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the letter’s transmission. The senators have set a deadline of September 30 for the Department of Defense to provide the requested financial data.