Iran War Bill Reaches $47 Billion as Trump Asserts Control Over End Date

The United States has spent $47 billion on the war with Iran, according to a U.S. Central Command estimate released on Oct. 16. That total is $3 billion higher than previous figures. Most of the spending went toward replacing munitions.

President Donald Trump addressed the conflict at a rally in Lubbock, Texas. He told the crowd that the war will end whenever he decides it should end. "Somebody asked me before, 'When will the war in Iran end?' I said, 'Whenever I want it to end,'" Trump said. He added that an end would be quick but must be handled properly, requiring a total statement that Iran will never possess a nuclear weapon.

The rising costs have landed on American households. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, estimated on Oct. 12 that the war has cost families an average of $2,000 so far. Zandi attributed $1,100 of that total to higher energy costs, $540 to higher interest rate costs, and $360 to increased military spending.

These expenses coincide with a drop in presidential approval. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Monday showed Trump's approval rating at 32%, a number near a record low. The midterm elections are scheduled for Nov. 3. Trump has said he will soon decide whether to make a deal with Iran or finish the conflict.

Military leaders are preparing for continued action. The New York Times reported that U.S. and Israeli forces have drawn up plans for a short but intensive series of strikes on Iran after the midterms. The United States evacuated diplomats from Saudi Arabia earlier this month.

The $47 billion figure excludes damage to military bases in the Middle East. A lead inspector general report to Congress estimated that damage at $184 million as of June 29. That amount includes damage from Iranian strikes to U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Trump previously claimed on Sept. 3 that the country had virtually unlimited ammunition. The current munitions shortfalls contradict that assertion. The war continues without a clear end date in sight.