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The White House is preparing to seek $80 billion from Congress for the Iran war as President Donald Trump presses Senate Republicans on war powers, election legislation and changes to chamber rules.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Trump administration is expected to ask Congress this week for $80 billion in funding for the Iran war, according to a report citing five people familiar with the matter.
Administration officials have told Republicans on Capitol Hill to expect the request by the end of the week, Politico reported.
The anticipated request comes as President Donald Trump increases pressure on Senate Republicans to change chamber rules so key legislation can move forward. Trump has been urging Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, a major voter ID bill that has stalled in the Senate.
On Wednesday, Trump canceled a planned signing ceremony for a bipartisan housing bill, saying he would not approve the legislation until Congress passed the SAVE America Act. The housing measure had already cleared Congress, but Trump said the election bill must take priority.
The president later met with Senate Republicans during a lunch that included a tense exchange with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., over the Iran war. Cassidy had previously joined Democrats in supporting a war powers resolution that would have forced Trump to break off the conflict.
The expected $80 billion request adds another major issue to the congressional agenda as lawmakers weigh the cost of the Iran war, the administration’s war powers position and Trump’s push for election legislation.
Polling data has shown that the public favors a swift end to the conflict rather than a prolonged war aimed at securing broader concessions, even as voters remain skeptical of the proposed deal.
The funding request would require congressional approval and is likely to intensify debate over the administration’s Iran policy, particularly after the Senate vote challenging Trump’s authority to continue the conflict without additional authorization.