Nicolai Haugsted
The president is asking Congress for another massive fund.
Pressure is mounting in Washington after President Donald Trump asked Congress for another massive spending package tied largely to the war with Iran.
The White House wants lawmakers to approve an additional $87.6 billion, a request that is already facing resistance from both Democrats and members of Trump’s own Republican Party.
Most of the money goes to the military
According to the administration, $67.15 billion of the request would be directed to the U.S. military.
The funding is intended to cover the operational costs of the conflict with Iran, replenish weapons stockpiles, strengthen military readiness and finance classified programs. Another $21 billion would be used to procure munitions, expand the U.S. defense industrial base and support key military capabilities.
The request comes on top of roughly $1 trillion already approved for defense spending last year and another $1.5 trillion the White House is seeking for next year’s budget, says Reuters.
Congress pushes back
The proposal arrives only a day after the Senate joined the House of Representatives in passing a war powers resolution instructing Trump to halt military operations against Iran.
Several Republicans broke with the president to support the measure, reflecting growing concern inside his own party over the increasingly unpopular conflict.
Tensions reportedly spilled over during a lunch meeting at the Capitol on Wednesday, where Trump became involved in a heated argument with Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who had voted in favor of the resolution.
Lawmakers from both parties have also criticized the administration for failing to keep Congress informed about the war and future military plans.
Many have argued that the U.S. Constitution gives Congress — not the president — the authority to take the country to war.
Difficult vote ahead
Passing the funding package may prove challenging.
Republicans hold only narrow majorities in both chambers, meaning Democratic votes could once again be needed to approve the spending.
Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer criticized the proposal shortly after it reached Congress.
“We should be lowering costs for the American people, not writing another blank check for Trump,” he wrote on X.
Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she would carefully examine the request.
“I will review the request to ensure that servicemembers are taken care of, but I will not rubber-stamp tens of billions more for this disastrous war of choice,” Murray said.
More than military spending
Although the Iran conflict dominates the request, the administration is also seeking funding for several domestic and international priorities.
The proposal includes $1.4 billion to combat the Ebola outbreak in Africa, with $800 million allocated to humanitarian assistance and $500 million earmarked for global health security.
“This funding is critical to protect Americans, and stop the spread to the United States,” the White House said.
Additional requests include $11.1 billion to support American farmers, $1 billion to strengthen pensions for former Delphi workers, $500 million for construction projects in and around Washington, D.C., and another $1 billion for the redevelopment of New York’s Penn Station.
The request now moves to Congress, where lawmakers are expected to debate both the cost of the package and the broader direction of U.S. involvement in the Iran conflict.
