$1.5 trillion national defense budget does not include Iran war costs

Published April 21, 2026 3:07pm ET | Updated April 21, 2026 3:07pm ET



The Pentagon unveiled its $1.5 trillion defense budget request for fiscal 2027 on Tuesday, by far the largest budget in the country’s history, but it was formulated before the U.S. war in Iran.

It is unknown how much the war in Iran has cost taxpayers, but U.S. forces dropped thousands of munitions, lost multiple aircraft and drones, and had multiple American bases in the region damaged in Iranian drone and missile attacks.

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