White House seeks $1.5 trillion defence budget as Iran war drives costs

White House seeks $1.5 trillion defence budget as Iran war drives costs US President Donald Trump on Friday asked lawmakers to approve a massive $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027, as the US faces rising costs from its war on Iran and mounting global security commitments. The proposal would lift Pentagon spending by more than 40 percent in a single year - the sharpest increase since World War II - as Washington seeks to sustain military operations and rebuild depleted weapons stockpiles. The request highlights the growing financial pressure of a conflict now in its fifth week, and sets up a political battle in Congress over how to fund a dramatic expansion of military spending. US media - citing closed-door congressional briefings - have reported that the Iran war could be costing as much as $2bn a day, underscoring the scale of the burden even before longer-term reconstruction and resupply costs are factored in. A man inspects the debris of residential buildings that were damaged by recent strikes at Vahdat town in Karaj, southwest of Tehran, on 3 April 2026 (AFP)

US President Donald Trump on Friday asked lawmakers to approve a massive $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027, as the US faces rising costs from its war on Iran and mounting global security commitments.

The proposal would lift Pentagon spending by more than 40 percent in a single year - the sharpest increase since World War II - as Washington seeks to sustain military operations and rebuild depleted weapons stockpiles.

The request highlights the growing financial pressure of a conflict now in its fifth week, and sets up a political battle in Congress over how to fund a dramatic expansion of military spending.

US media - citing closed-door congressional briefings - have reported that the Iran war could be costing as much as $2bn a day, underscoring the scale of the burden even before longer-term reconstruction and resupply costs are factored in.