Pentagon seeks $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon is seeking $200 billion in additional funds for the Iran war, a sizable amount that is certain to be met with questions from Congress, which would need to approve any new money.The department sent the request to the White House, according to a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private information. The nation's debt has surged past a record $39 trillion.Congress has been bracing for a new spending request but it is not clear the White House has transmitted the request for consideration.Lawmakers have not authorized the war, and Congress is showing growing unease with the military operation's scope and strategy.The new funding request was first reported by The Washington Post.Trump said the administration is asking for the money for other reasons beyond Iran. "I'm not writing blank checks to the Department of Defense," McCollum said.Negotiations ahead on a final package It all points to a monumental battle ahead in Congress over any new Pentagon spending that would almost certainly need support from Republicans and Democrats in a bipartisan package to push past objections toward approval.The requested amount would be a hefty boost to the Pentagon's annual budget, which Congress approved at more than $800 billion for the current fiscal year.That's on top of some $150 billion that Congress gave the Defense Department in last year's tax cuts bill, much of it for specific projects and overall upgrades to the Pentagon's operations.The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has projected that the federal government will run a $1.9 trillion annual deficit this year, and that's before adding any spending done through a supplemental bill.House Speaker Mike Johnson said it's a "dangerous time" and "we have to adequately fund defense.

Author: AP

---