Crow to Trump Administration: Reveal True Cost of War with Iran

AURORA — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO), a combat veteran and Co-Chair of House Democrats’ National Security Task Force, is demanding the Trump Administration provide a full and transparent update to Coloradans and the American people about how much the war with Iran is costing taxpayers.

In a new letter to President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Crow demands an accounting of operational costs placed on the Department of Defense; effects on the oil and energy market; and impacts on inflation, supply chains, and consumer prices, as American families continue to shoulder the cost of this conflict.

Joining him in his letter are fellow National Security Task Force Co-Chairs Congressman Derek Tran (D-CA) and Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), along with 45 of their House colleagues.

“Nearly six months ago, Donald Trump launched us into yet another war with no strategy and no endgame. As Trump, his family, and his friends in the oil industry use this conflict to pad their pockets, the cost on American taxpayers has grown by the day. Gas, groceries, and everyday goods have all gotten more expensive, with no end in sight,” said Congressman Crow. “This Administration owes working families an accounting of what this reckless war is costing them and what they are doing to end it.”

During a July appropriations hearing, Secretary Hegseth testified that the estimated cost of the Administration’s war with Iran was $37.5 billion. Independent estimates place the figure much higher, surpassing $100 billion. The Trump Administration and Republicans now want Congress to approve another $88 billion funding package for the war.

Working families have been forced to pay more as a result of this war. Energy costs have skyrocketed, making gas, travel, groceries, and goods cost more. If gas prices remain at or above $4 per gallon, which the President has said is “okay” and that he “will never apologize” for, American families will spend at least $90 billion more at the pump this year.

Crow, Tran, Goodlander, and their colleagues wrote, “What was billed as a two-week operation is now a full-scale war that has lasted for over 150 days, cost over $37 billion, and claimed the lives of 18 servicemembers. At the same time, prices across the country have gone up significantly, placing the burden of this conflict on American families. By June 9, you had claimed that the war in Iran was almost over 38 times. Instead, the war has continued, leaving Americans across the country with no idea when this war will come to an end and when prices will come down. This uncertainty, and the months of higher costs, have taken a toll, impacting Americans’ ability to budget, plan, and save for the future. These costs are untenable, and the American people deserve better.”

Crow has repeatedly condemned Trump’s reckless war with Iran. His War Powers Resolution with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) to disapprove of the war recently passed the U.S. House, and Crow continues to lead legislation to prohibit federal funding for the war. As someone from a working class family who served three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Crow has seen firsthand the toll forever wars have cost servicemembers and hardworking Americans.

A PDF of the letter can be found here, with full text appearing below:

President Trump and Secretary Hegseth,

We write about the significant cost of the ongoing war between the U.S. and Iran. What was billed as a two-week operation is now a full-scale war that has lasted for over 150 days, cost over $37 billion, and claimed the lives of 18 servicemembers. At the same time, prices across the country have gone up significantly, placing the burden of this conflict on American families. By June 9, you had claimed that the war in Iran was almost over 38 times. Instead, the war has continued, leaving Americans across the country with no idea when this war will come to an end and when prices will come down. This uncertainty, and the months of higher costs, have taken a toll, impacting Americans’ ability to budget, plan, and save for the future. These costs are untenable, and the American people deserve better.

Since the war started, everything from food to gas to medicine has become more expensive. Experts say that if gas prices remain at or above $4 per gallon, as is expected, American families will spend at least $90 billion more at the gas pump this year. This, coupled with the 4.2% increase in food prices over last year, the increased prices of consumer goods due to the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and the already high prices caused by tariffs, has put significant financial strain on Americans across the country. Despite your insistence that prices will “come crashing down” after the war in Iran is over, experts warn that consumers won’t see relief for months, as production facilities rebuild and ships travel to their destinations. This has forced families to make compromises to afford basic necessities or dip into emergency funds to make ends meet.

While the American people are struggling, Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought has asked Congress for an $88 billion supplemental budget request, writing that “most of this request will address urgent needs related to Operation Epic Fury”. More will be needed to replenish the stockpiles we have wasted on this war of choice. It is unconscionable that the Administration is asking for more to fund the very thing that is raising costs for Americans. The Administration should be focused on ending the conflict and addressing the very real financial concerns of the American public. But when asked if he is weighing Americans’ financial situations as he considers whether to make a deal with Iran, President Trump responded “not even a little bit....I don’t think about Americans’ financial situations.” This is appalling and unacceptable.

We demand that you provide the American people with a public, comprehensive assessment of the full economic impact of this war no later than September 11, 2026. This accounting must go beyond simple Pentagon spending and should include:

1. All Department of Defense operational costs, including:
   1. Personnel costs
   2. Operation and maintenance costs
   3. Procurement costs
   4. Contractor support costs
   5. Readiness and sustainment costs
2. Oil and energy market effects, including:
   1. Impact on global oil supply and shipping
   2. Strategic Petroleum Reserve usage and replacement costs
   3. Estimated gasoline and diesel price increases
   4. Effects on electricity and industrial energy costs
3. Macroeconomic impact assessment, including:
   1. Effects on GDP growth
   2. Inflation impacts
   3. Supply chain disruptions
   4. Consumer price impacts
   5. Effects on employment and wages
   6. Effects on investment and capital markets

We expect this assessment to also include economic and inflation assumptions, forecasting models, and confidence assessments, so that the American people can anticipate how long they will be shouldering the costs of your war of choice.

Americans did not ask for this war, and they cannot afford it. They do not have the luxury of ignoring their financial situation, and you shouldn’t either.

###