Hegseth on $200 billion ask for Operation Epic Fury
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed reports Thursday that the Defense Department will ask Congress for more than $200 billion to support ongoing military operations in Iran.
The funding is intended to cover the high costs of Operation Epic Fury – the US-Israeli military campaign that began in late February 2026 – and to replenish stockpiles of high-precision munitions that are being depleted at a rapid rate.
“I think that number could be as high as $200 billion. Obviously, it takes a lot of money to kill the bad guys,” Mr. Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon. “We are going back to Congress and our staff to make sure we are properly funded for what is being done. [and] for what we may need to do in the future.
Replenishing depleted supplies will be accomplished “faster than anyone imagined,” the secretary of state said.
“We are also still faced with the environment created by Joe Biden, who was burning out and not sending [military ordnance] “This ammunition is better spent in our own interest at this point,” Mr. Hegseth said.
