By — Maria Ramirez Uribe Maria Ramirez Uribe Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-murray-calls-pentagons-iran-war-cost-estimate-suspiciously-low-presses-for-damage-price-tag Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Murray calls Pentagon's Iran war cost estimate 'suspiciously low,' presses for damage price tag Politics Updated on May 12, 2026 5:43 PM EDT — Published on May 12, 2026 5:21 PM EDT Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Tuesday on his department's cost estimate of the war on Iran during a hearing before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee. Watch the clip in the video player above. Jules Hurst, the Pentagon comptroller, told members of Congress at an earlier hearing before a House Appropriations panel, that the cost of the war had risen to $29 billion. Murray said it seemed "quite clear" that the new cost estimate "is suspiciously low." "Your acting comptroller suggested that damage to U.S. facilities was not factored into that figure. It is clear that there has been extensive damage to American military assets," she added. Murray asked Hegseth what the cost of damage to U.S. facilities has been. Hegseth did not provide a figure. "I would simply respond that -- and I think it's an important point considering what the president is undertaking -- what is the cost of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon?" Hegseth said. "And the fact that this president's been willing to make a historic and courageous choice to confront that, it comes with cost, and we recognize that." Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. Murray took issue with Hegseth's lack of transparency. "You're spending families' hard-earned tax dollars on a war that many strongly oppose, and you're forcing people to pay more at the pump, and yet you're not even providing a real breakdown for the cost of this war so far," she said. A PBS News/NPR/Marist poll last week found 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of the way President Donald Trump is handling his war in Iran. On Tuesday, Hegseth and Caine appeared to testify on Trump's 2027 budget request to increase defense spending to $1.5 trillion – the largest proposed amount in decades. Senate lawmakers on both sides of the aisle questioned the defense leaders about the Trump administration's funding priorities, global military alliances and the impacts of the Iran war, including on U.S. weapon stockpiles. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now By — Maria Ramirez Uribe Maria Ramirez Uribe
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Tuesday on his department's cost estimate of the war on Iran during a hearing before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee. Watch the clip in the video player above. Jules Hurst, the Pentagon comptroller, told members of Congress at an earlier hearing before a House Appropriations panel, that the cost of the war had risen to $29 billion. Murray said it seemed "quite clear" that the new cost estimate "is suspiciously low." "Your acting comptroller suggested that damage to U.S. facilities was not factored into that figure. It is clear that there has been extensive damage to American military assets," she added. Murray asked Hegseth what the cost of damage to U.S. facilities has been. Hegseth did not provide a figure. "I would simply respond that -- and I think it's an important point considering what the president is undertaking -- what is the cost of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon?" Hegseth said. "And the fact that this president's been willing to make a historic and courageous choice to confront that, it comes with cost, and we recognize that." Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. Murray took issue with Hegseth's lack of transparency. "You're spending families' hard-earned tax dollars on a war that many strongly oppose, and you're forcing people to pay more at the pump, and yet you're not even providing a real breakdown for the cost of this war so far," she said. A PBS News/NPR/Marist poll last week found 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of the way President Donald Trump is handling his war in Iran. On Tuesday, Hegseth and Caine appeared to testify on Trump's 2027 budget request to increase defense spending to $1.5 trillion – the largest proposed amount in decades. Senate lawmakers on both sides of the aisle questioned the defense leaders about the Trump administration's funding priorities, global military alliances and the impacts of the Iran war, including on U.S. weapon stockpiles. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now