The US military's request for $200 billion in additional funding for the Iran war has met with stiff opposition in the US Congress, as Democrats and even some Republicans have questioned the need for the money after large defence appropriations last year.
A US official confirmed a Washington Post report that the Department of Defense has asked the White House to approve the request.
President Donald Trump has not yet sent a formal request to the Senate and House of Representatives, and his administration made clear the number could change.
"I think that number could move, obviously. It takes money to kill bad guys," Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told a news conference.
"So we're going back to Congress... to ensure that we're properly funded for what's been done."
Early indications suggest the war will be the most expensive for the US since the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Administration officials told lawmakers that the first six days had cost more than $11 billion.
Polls show the war is not popular, with only one in four Americans supporting it.
The Republican-led Congress has already approved record funding, including the Fiscal 2026 Defense Appropriations Act with about $840 billion.
Congress wants more information
As the war enters its third week, lawmakers are clamouring for more information about Trump's plans for a conflict that has roiled world energy markets.
"How on Earth are we going to pay for that? It is absolutely ridiculous," Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal said.
Lawmakers estimate the war is currently costing $1 billion to $2 billion per day.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen said the request should be a non-starter.
"The best way to end this war... is to cut off funding. I'm a hell no," he wrote on X.
Even some Republicans seemed surprised; Senator Susan Collins, who chairs the Appropriations Committee, said the total was "considerably higher than I would have guessed" and indicated she would likely want a public hearing on the request.
