The senators are seeking details on military operations, damaged bases, and depleted equipment after seven months of fighting.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Forty-six Democratic senators are demanding that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provide Congress with a full accounting of the Iran war as the Pentagon requests an additional $67 billion. Lawmakers accuse Hegseth of withholding basic wartime information, including costs associated with repairing damaged bases and replacing destroyed military assets.
The group sent its letter to Hegseth early Thursday, September 17, as Congress weighs the Pentagon’s emergency funding request.
Democrats Press Hegseth on Pentagon Transparency
“Despite your stated needs, you have repeatedly refused to share basic information that previous administrations, Republican and Democratic, provided to the American public and Congress during times of war,” the senators wrote, according to NBC News.
The letter, spearheaded by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), calls for a detailed breakdown of military operations against Iran. Lawmakers are also demanding that the Pentagon explain how it spent roughly $34 billion previously provided under a tax and spending bill signed by President Donald Trump last year.
While the Pentagon has provided general estimates for the conflict, it has failed to provide totals covering repairs to damaged U.S. bases, replacement costs for destroyed air and naval assets, or refurbishments for ships and aircraft affected by seven months of continuous combat. The request reflects growing frustration among Democrats and select Republicans over the administration’s war strategy and lack of disclosure.
War Cost Estimates Vary by Billions
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated Tuesday that the war cost the Pentagon $38.1 billion through August 1. More than half stemmed from replacing missiles and munitions, while increased flying hours accounted for $10.4 billion and rising fuel prices added $2.7 billion.
Earlier this week, the Department of Defense Inspector General reported war costs of roughly $33 billion through June 30, excluding facility repairs and other overhead. At a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing in late July, Hegseth estimated the total cost at $37.5 billion.
The CBO warned the conflict could cost an additional $2 billion to $3 billion for every month fighting continues. “The price of almost every product reflects shipping costs,” the agency stated, adding that the conflict is projected to drive inflation through the first quarter of 2027.
Fetterman Refuses to Sign Letter
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was the sole Senate Democrat who declined to sign the letter, citing a long-standing divergence from caucus foreign policy.
“I’ve always been at odds with my fellow Democrats over how we hold Iran accountable,” Fetterman told NBC News. “I’ll continue to remain an unapologetic supporter of efforts to confront the Iranian regime and its proxies.”
The congressional push comes as seven months of combat severely strain U.S. weapons inventories. The DOD Inspector General recently warned of “strategic inventory shortfalls,” while the CBO noted that rebuilding missile-defense interceptor stocks could take at least five years, even with increased production capacity.
Iranian strikes have damaged or destroyed “hundreds of buildings and structures” across bases in eight Middle Eastern nations, according to the inspector general’s findings. The report noted that dozens of aircraft were damaged or destroyed, including four F-15E Strike Eagles, an F-35A, and seven KC-135 refueling tankers.