Vought Testifies on Undecided Iran Funding in Budget Hearing

White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought testified before the House Budget Committee on April 15, 2026, in Washington, D.C., where he acknowledged that the administration has not determined a specific funding amount for the ongoing conflict with Iran, despite an initial Pentagon request for $200 billion in emergency military aid last month.

Vought appeared to defend President Donald Trump's proposed fiscal year 2027 budget, which includes $1.5 trillion for defense spending, a $500 billion increase from the previous year, alongside a 10 percent reduction in nondefense discretionary programs. The hearing focused heavily on the costs of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, which began on February 28 and has lasted six weeks, now under a two-week ceasefire as peace negotiations proceed this week. When pressed by lawmakers on the total projected expenses, Vought stated, "We're not ready to come to you with a request. We're still working on it. We're working through to figure out what's needed in this fiscal year versus next fiscal year." He added that he did not have a "ballpark" figure for congressional approval.