President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are intensifying their campaign to convince Republican lawmakers to approve a massive infusion of cash for the Pentagon, aiming to bypass the usual 60-vote threshold in the Senate by using the budget reconciliation process. Hegseth held at least two conversations with senior House Republicans this past week, including a Thursday meeting at the Pentagon, to discuss military spending priorities.
Trump called on Congress Wednesday night to include $350 billion in defense funding as part of a third reconciliation bill, a legislative maneuver that would allow Republicans to pass the measure with a simple majority. The push comes as the administration seeks a total defense budget of $1.5 trillion, comprising a $1.15 trillion base budget and the additional reconciliation funds.
The stepped-up lobbying effort underscores a deepening rift within the GOP over how to achieve Trump’s ambitious defense spending goals. Some Senate Republicans, along with virtually all Democrats, are reluctant to back a massive reconciliation package for the Pentagon amid growing public discontent with the ongoing conflict in Iran. The war, now past its 100-day mark, has already cost roughly $29 billion as of early May, according to Pentagon officials, though that figure does not include repairs to damaged air bases and other U.S. outposts in the Middle East.
In addition to the reconciliation push, the White House is expected to submit a supplemental funding request to replenish munitions used in the U.S. air campaign against Iran and maintain military readiness. The administration initially signaled it would need $200 billion for that effort but has since scaled back expectations to between $80 billion and $100 billion. Hegseth reportedly told top defense hawks, including House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), that the Pentagon hopes to “fill the hole” created by operations in Iran and Venezuela through a supplemental. However, the White House has not yet sent the request to Congress, even though House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said last month it would be needed by August.
The dual push for both a reconciliation package and an Iran supplemental is proving a hard sell, sparking speculation that the two could be combined. Democrats are united in opposition, with Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, insisting that Congress must first authorize the conflict before approving any supplemental. “Until they authorize this conflict, I don’t think we should subsidize it,” Reed told The Hill. He suggested the administration is reluctant to submit a formal request because it is “embarrassed to acknowledge the mounting costs.” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) went further, calling the conflict “an illegal order” and saying there is “no path forward for a supplemental.” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) echoed those concerns, noting that a 40% increase in defense spending in one year is “going to be really hard” to support.
Republican senators are also wary, having just endured an 18-hour overnight session to pass a $70 billion immigration enforcement package last week. Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee Chair Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) warned Tuesday that a third reconciliation bill for defense is unlikely. “I think it’s safe to conclude there will not be another reconciliation bill, so it’s really not an option,” McConnell said, with Collins adding, “I agree with that assessment.” Even Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has given a lackluster endorsement, signaling the path forward is uncertain.
The administration’s most recent cost estimate for the Iran conflict does not include repair costs for damaged bases, likely pushing the total far higher. Rep. Rogers estimated Thursday that the price tag is now in the mid-$30 billion range, according to Punchbowl News. As Trump and Hegseth continue their full-court press, the fate of the $350 billion defense reconciliation remains in doubt, with both parties divided over the cost and legality of the ongoing military operations.
