Top Navy officials warned Congress that continued operations against Iran could soon force cuts to training, recruiting, and deployments unless lawmakers approve supplemental war funding.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Senior Navy leadership told lawmakers Thursday that the ongoing military campaign against Iran is placing growing financial pressure on the armed forces and could soon disrupt training schedules, force readiness, and personnel operations if Congress does not approve additional funding.
During testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said the Navy’s operational tempo in support of Operation Epic Fury has exceeded what was included in the current defense budget.
“Sir, as you know, the [fiscal 2026] budget didn’t bake in Epic Fury, and the Navy, if you see any news channel and you look at the graphic there, you see a large Navy force in the Middle East,” Caudle said during a House Armed Services Committee hearing in response to questioning from committee chairman Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala.
The Pentagon previously submitted a $200 billion supplemental funding request to the White House in March to support military operations connected to the conflict, but the administration has not yet transmitted the request to Congress.
Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst III told lawmakers Tuesday that the war has already cost approximately $29 billion, largely tied to replacing munitions, repairing equipment, and sustaining deployed military operations.
Hurst made the remarks during a House Appropriations Committee budget hearing reviewing defense spending.
Caudle warned that without supplemental appropriations, the Navy may soon be forced to reduce exercises and scale back routine operations to preserve funding for combat activities.
“So, we’re burning bright, and that’s what navies do, and we’re built that way, but it does come at cost, and it comes at operational costs, things like fuel costs, operating hours, air, you know, training airframes,” Caudle said.
“And all the sorts of incremental things, munitions that you actually expend during wartime. And so, without supplemental funding, I do fear that I’ll have to start making decisions in the July time frame on how I do force generation.”
The admiral further stated that readiness operations could be directly affected if the funding issue remains unresolved.
“That could make differences between how I do exercises, how I do routine operations in order to make sure that I do not have the funds necessary to continue the war effort for [Operation] Epic Fury,” he said.
Caudle also told lawmakers the financial strain extends beyond combat operations and into military personnel management.
According to the Navy chief, between 12,000 and 15,000 incoming sailors could face delays in assignment and processing if emergency funding is not approved.
“A bigger piece too that I would tell you is in people,” Caudle said. “I’m incurring additional costs in the manpower accounts as well, and so with additional funding, I’m going to end up having to hold on station a number of between 12,000 and 15,000 new accessions that I’m trying to push through.”
In military terminology, “accessions” refers to recruits entering service.
“So, my record recruiting is going to be thwarted without additional funding to … [transition] those individuals from boot camp and to pay enlistment and reenlistment bonuses,” Caudle added. “So those efforts could be challenged if I don’t get additional supplemental funding, sir.”
Members of Congress from both parties said lawmakers cannot move forward on emergency appropriations until the administration formally submits the request.
“We have to start with getting that number from the Pentagon and it needs to be here now,” House Armed Services Committee Vice Chair Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., said Thursday during an industry conference in Washington, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., ranking member of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, also said the supplemental request is needed before lawmakers begin reviewing the Pentagon’s proposed $1.5 trillion fiscal 2027 defense budget on June 11, the Journal reported.
The warnings come as U.S. naval assets remain heavily deployed in the Middle East amid continuing operations connected to the Iran conflict, increasing pressure on maintenance schedules, weapons stockpiles, and operational readiness across the fleet.
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