US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday. [AP]
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday. [AP]

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the war with Iran has cost $37.5 billion so far.

Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hegseth said the $37.5 billion figure includes projected additional operations and maintenance costs, military pay and some other expenses expected through the end of the fiscal year.

He added that some of the $37.5 billion reflects costs already incurred, while the military pay, operations and maintenance, and other items represent expenses projected through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.

Asked whether $67 billion of the $87.6 billion supplemental budget that President Donald Trump requested from Congress was earmarked for the Defense Department, Hegseth said the figure was "roughly correct."

He also acknowledged that $75 billion from last year's budget remains unspent, saying it would be allocated to "plans and projects that must be pursued to rebuild our military."


mokiya@heraldcorp.com