Reed Condemns Trump Administration for Concealing Costs of Iran War

WASHINGTON, DC -- This week, press reports indicated that at least four more American servicemembers have died in the Iran war than are acknowledged in the Pentagon's public casualty database. The disclosure comes as the Pentagon informed Congress this week that the war has now cost at least $44 billion, an estimate that still excludes the cost of repairing damaged U.S. bases.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response:

"The Trump Administration has hidden the true cost of this war from day one. Under Secretary Hegseth, the Department of Defense has obfuscated the numbers of wounded servicemembers in Iran and reclassified American deaths under a new operation name to avoid contradicting the President. That is profoundly disrespectful to our troops and their families.

"The financial costs have continued to climb by billions each month, even as the administration refuses to acknowledge the munitions crisis we face or admit the costs to rebuild bases heavily damaged by Iran. Further, the Administration still refuses to turn over the findings of the Minab school strike investigation, and congressional Republicans have not held a single public hearing on the Iran war.

"Americans deserve to know why their loved ones are risking their lives overseas. Taxpayers deserve to know what this war costs. Congress cannot do its job when the Pentagon will not tell us the truth."

Earlier this week, Senator Reed joined with 45 Senate Democrats in writing a letter demanding a full accounting of Iran war costs from the U.S. Department of Defense.

In addition to the true costs of the war, the 46 U.S. Senators are seeking a breakdown of the Pentagon's $67 billion supplemental budget request, as well as an accounting of tax dollars spent so far from the roughly $34 billion tax and spending bill that President Donald Trump signed last year.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Tweet