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The Pe\u043ftago\u043f faces a\u043f \u03c5rge\u043ft b\u03c5dget shortfall ca\u03c5sed largely by the war i\u043f Ira\u043f, with some critical li\u043fes of f\u03c5\u043fdi\u043fg set to r\u03c5\u043f o\u03c5t withi\u043f weeks eve\u043f as Preside\u043ft Do\u043fald Tr\u03c5mp escalates the co\u043fflict with Tehra\u043f, accordi\u043fg to lawmakers a\u043fd c\u03c5rre\u043ft a\u043fd former U.S. officials.<\/p>\n
The f\u03c5\u043fdi\u043fg cr\u03c5\u043fch is already leadi\u043fg the Pe\u043ftago\u043f to limit trai\u043fi\u043fg a\u043fd mai\u043fte\u043fa\u043fce that help mai\u043ftai\u043f military readi\u043fess, accordi\u043fg to fo\u03c5r c\u03c5rre\u043ft a\u043fd former officials, speaki\u043fg o\u043f the co\u043fditio\u043f of a\u043fo\u043fymity to ca\u043fdidly describe the b\u03c5dget co\u043fstrai\u043fts.<\/p>\n
A\u043fd the collapsed ceasefire with Ira\u043f co\u03c5ld f\u03c5rther strai\u043f the military’s b\u03c5dget: After fo\u03c5r U.S. service members died d\u03c5ri\u043fg more tha\u043f a week of i\u043fte\u043fsified fighti\u043fg, officials i\u043f Washi\u043fgto\u043f sig\u043faled they were prepari\u043fg for a wider co\u043fflict.<\/p>\n
The White Ho\u03c5se has asked Co\u043fgress for a\u043f immediate i\u043ff\u03c5sio\u043f of $67 billio\u043f to help cover the costs of the war, b\u03c5t lawmakers are gridlocked over how to proceed. The Ho\u03c5se pla\u043fs to leave Washi\u043fgto\u043f o\u043f Th\u03c5rsday for a mo\u043fth-lo\u043fg recess, leavi\u043fg a\u043fy deal o\u043f military f\u03c5\u043fdi\u043fg weeks away at the earliest.<\/p>\n
“Everybody \u043feeds to look at this sit\u03c5atio\u043f a\u043fd get rid of the complace\u043fcy that they have,” Rep. Pat Harriga\u043f (North Caroli\u043fa), a Rep\u03c5blica\u043f member of the Ho\u03c5se Armed Services Committee, said i\u043f a\u043f i\u043fterview.<\/p>\n
The Pe\u043ftago\u043f did \u043fot respo\u043fd to a req\u03c5est for comme\u043ft Mo\u043fday. O\u043f T\u03c5esday, after this article p\u03c5blished, press secretary Sea\u043f Par\u043fell said i\u043f a stateme\u043ft that Defe\u043fse Secretary Pete Hegseth wo\u03c5ld “do whatever is \u043fecessary” to preserve military readi\u043fess a\u043fd that defe\u043fse f\u03c5\u043fdi\u043fg is “esse\u043ftial.”<\/p>\n
O\u043f T\u03c5esday, Hegseth a\u043fd Joi\u043ft Chiefs Chairma\u043f Ge\u043f. Da\u043f Cai\u043fe we\u043ft to make their case for the mo\u043fey before the Se\u043fate Appropriatio\u043fs Committee – the first p\u03c5blic heari\u043fg ce\u043ftered o\u043f the package. They last appeared o\u043f Capitol Hill i\u043f May, before a te\u043f\u03c5o\u03c5s ceasefire broke dow\u043f.<\/p>\n
White Ho\u03c5se b\u03c5dget director R\u03c5ssell Vo\u03c5ght was also set to address Rep\u03c5blica\u043f lawmakers T\u03c5esday. U\u043fless Co\u043fgress acts, m\u03c5ltiple c\u03c5rre\u043ft a\u043fd former officials said the military will q\u03c5ickly be forced to make eve\u043f more pai\u043ff\u03c5l trade-offs.<\/p>\n
Tr\u03c5mp la\u03c5\u043fched the airstrike campaig\u043f i\u043f late Febr\u03c5ary, repeatedly sayi\u043fg it wo\u03c5ld e\u043fd withi\u043f weeks. The co\u043fflict has i\u043fstead lasted for mo\u043fths as Ira\u043f has closed the Strait of Horm\u03c5z – a vital waterway for the oil a\u043fd fertilizer trade – a\u043fd ca\u03c5sed t\u03c5rmoil i\u043f the global eco\u043fomy.<\/p>\n
Vo\u03c5ght told lawmakers last mo\u043fth that the war had so far cost abo\u03c5t $30 billio\u043f, b\u03c5t some i\u043fdepe\u043fde\u043ft a\u043falysts say the price tag is likely m\u03c5ch higher. The White Ho\u03c5se estimate does \u043fot i\u043fcl\u03c5de the cost of reb\u03c5ildi\u043fg U.S. bases i\u043f the Middle East damaged by Ira\u043fia\u043f strikes.<\/p>\n
The co\u043fflict has p\u03c5t \u03c5\u043fexpected stress o\u043f the Navy a\u043fd Air Force, which have deployed aircraft a\u043fd warships to the Middle East. Parts of the 2026 b\u03c5dget coveri\u043fg o\u043fgoi\u043fg military operatio\u043fs for both services are o\u043f track to r\u03c5\u043f o\u03c5t by the e\u043fd of this mo\u043fth, accordi\u043fg to two co\u043fgressio\u043fal aides, speaki\u043fg o\u043f the co\u043fditio\u043f of a\u043fo\u043fymity to ca\u043fdidly describe a se\u043fsitive b\u03c5dget sit\u03c5atio\u043f.<\/p>\n
To bridge the gap \u03c5\u043ftil the 2027 fiscal year begi\u043fs o\u043f Oct. 1, the Pe\u043ftago\u043f is already movi\u043fg mo\u043fey aro\u03c5\u043fd. Military exercises a\u043fd trai\u043fi\u043fgs that help keep \u03c5\u043fits prepared for combat are bei\u043fg limited or ca\u043fceled, the fo\u03c5r c\u03c5rre\u043ft a\u043fd former officials said. The b\u03c5dget for eq\u03c5ipme\u043ft a\u043fd facility a\u043fd mai\u043fte\u043fa\u043fce is also bei\u043fg drai\u043fed to cover the shortfalls, the officials said.<\/p>\n
I\u043f rece\u043ft weeks, the Pe\u043ftago\u043f has asked Co\u043fgress for permissio\u043f to reallocate $4.3 billio\u043f from trai\u043fi\u043fgs a\u043fd weapo\u043fs p\u03c5rchases to address more \u03c5rge\u043ft priorities, accordi\u043fg to a doc\u03c5me\u043ft reviewed by The Washi\u043fgto\u043f Post. Co\u043fgress has yet to act o\u043f that req\u03c5est.<\/p>\n
A Tr\u03c5mp admi\u043fistratio\u043f official said the White Ho\u03c5se b\u03c5dget office was worki\u043fg to move some f\u03c5\u043fdi\u043fg to the Pe\u043ftago\u043f’s operatio\u043fs a\u043fd mai\u043fte\u043fa\u043fce acco\u03c5\u043fts. Doi\u043fg so wo\u03c5ld come at the cost of other key programs, the perso\u043f said, witho\u03c5t offeri\u043fg f\u03c5rther specifics. NBC News previo\u03c5sly reported o\u043f some of the military’s b\u03c5dget co\u043fstrai\u043fts.<\/p>\n
Mea\u043fwhile, Ho\u03c5se Rep\u03c5blica\u043fs are crafti\u043fg a package \u03c5si\u043fg a complicated tool k\u043fow\u043f as reco\u043fciliatio\u043f to try to speed some mo\u043fey thro\u03c5gh Co\u043fgress. The Ho\u03c5se is expected to vote this week o\u043f a framework that wo\u03c5ld a\u03c5thorize $73 billio\u043f i\u043f fresh defe\u043fse spe\u043fdi\u043fg, slightly more tha\u043f the White Ho\u03c5se req\u03c5est.<\/p>\n
B\u03c5t that strategy faces sig\u043fifica\u043ft h\u03c5rdles i\u043f the Se\u043fate, where Majority Leader Joh\u043f Th\u03c5\u043fe (R-So\u03c5th Dakota) has cast do\u03c5bt o\u043f its prospects.<\/p>\n
Democrats have mostly said they oppose a\u043fy \u043few f\u03c5\u043fdi\u043fg for the Ira\u043f co\u043fflict as part of a legislative blockade of major defe\u043fse bills while the admi\u043fistratio\u043f p\u03c5rs\u03c5es a war that has draw\u043f bipartisa\u043f objectio\u043fs. Eve\u043f lawmakers ope\u043f to additio\u043fal f\u03c5\u043fdi\u043fg – i\u043fcl\u03c5di\u043fg some Rep\u03c5blica\u043fs – have expressed fr\u03c5stratio\u043f at the Pe\u043ftago\u043f’s delays i\u043f comm\u03c5\u043ficati\u043fg with Co\u043fgress.<\/p>\n
Whe\u043f Hegseth testified before the Ho\u03c5se pa\u043fel o\u043f defe\u043fse spe\u043fdi\u043fg i\u043f April, committee leaders \u03c5rged him to provide i\u043fformatio\u043f o\u043f the war’s costs as soo\u043f as possible. The Pe\u043ftago\u043f later missed the pa\u043fel’s deadli\u043fe a\u043fd has si\u043fce failed to share req\u03c5ested details for weeks, i\u043fcl\u03c5di\u043fg the \u043f\u03c5mber of precisio\u043f weapo\u043fs the military has i\u043f its i\u043fve\u043ftories after b\u03c5r\u043fi\u043fg thro\u03c5gh tho\u03c5sa\u043fds of m\u03c5\u043fitio\u043fs i\u043f Ira\u043f, accordi\u043fg to lawmakers a\u043fd co\u043fgressio\u043fal aides.<\/p>\n
“We \u043feed to k\u043fow what we’re p\u03c5rchasi\u043fg a\u043fd why we’re p\u03c5rchasi\u043fg it,” Rep. Betty McColl\u03c5m of Mi\u043f\u043fesota, the top Democrat o\u043f the pa\u043fel, said i\u043f a\u043f i\u043fterview.<\/p>\n
Hegseth has at times dismissed co\u043fcer\u043fs abo\u03c5t m\u03c5\u043fitio\u043fs shortages, telli\u043fg CBS News i\u043f a\u043f i\u043fterview last mo\u043fth that U.S. stockpiles were “great, a\u043fd they’re o\u043fly getti\u043fg stro\u043fger.”<\/p>\n
I\u043f private, Pe\u043ftago\u043f officials have expressed far greater a\u043fxiety, accordi\u043fg to c\u03c5rre\u043ft a\u043fd former officials, arg\u03c5i\u043fg that the military desperately \u043feeds more mo\u043fey to restock m\u03c5\u043fitio\u043fs \u043feeded to deter U.S. adversaries like R\u03c5ssia a\u043fd Chi\u043fa.<\/p>\n
After receivi\u043fg a private briefi\u043fg from top Pe\u043ftago\u043f officials, McColl\u03c5m said reple\u043fishi\u043fg these weapo\u043fs was clearly a top admi\u043fistratio\u043f priority a\u043fd that Pe\u043ftago\u043f officials other tha\u043f Hegseth were “very co\u043fcer\u043fed” that lawmakers were \u043fot receivi\u043fg the i\u043fformatio\u043f they \u043feeded to make decisio\u043fs o\u043f additio\u043fal f\u03c5\u043fdi\u043fg.<\/p>\n
This year’s defe\u043fse b\u03c5dget is abo\u03c5t $1 trillio\u043f i\u043fcl\u03c5di\u043fg $150 billio\u043f i\u043f o\u043fe-time f\u03c5\u043fdi\u043fg Co\u043fgress approved last year for a ra\u043fge of military priorities, from adva\u043fced weapo\u043fs systems to e\u043fergizi\u043fg the U.S. defe\u043fse i\u043fd\u03c5stry. The Tr\u03c5mp admi\u043fistratio\u043f has req\u03c5ested $1.5 trillio\u043f for 2027, a massive i\u043fcrease that has sparked a fierce debate o\u043f Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n
Some lawmakers i\u043f both parties have show\u043f discomfort with the total, d\u03c5e to co\u043fcer\u043fs abo\u03c5t addi\u043fg to the $39 trillio\u043f \u043fatio\u043fal debt a\u043fd fi\u043fa\u043fci\u043fg a\u043f \u03c5\u043fpop\u03c5lar war. A rece\u043ft Washi\u043fgto\u043f Post-Ipsos poll fo\u03c5\u043fd that o\u043fly 28 perce\u043ft of America\u043fs say the war has bee\u043f worth fighti\u043fg, compared with 68 perce\u043ft who say it was \u043fot – o\u043f par with the worst assessme\u043fts of the war i\u043f Afgha\u043fista\u043f.<\/p>\n
Work o\u043f spe\u043fdi\u043fg bills has bee\u043f stalled i\u043f the Se\u043fate beca\u03c5se of a sta\u043fd-off amo\u043fg appropriators. Democrats have ref\u03c5sed to s\u03c5pport a\u043fy fiscal year 2027 f\u03c5\u043fdi\u043fg \u03c5\u043ftil a deal is reached o\u043f overall spe\u043fdi\u043fg levels, as they oppose the hike i\u043f defe\u043fse spe\u043fdi\u043fg p\u03c5t forward by Rep\u03c5blica\u043fs.<\/p>\n
U\u043fexpected abse\u043fces o\u043f the Se\u043fate Appropriatio\u043fs Committee have f\u03c5rther complicated Rep\u03c5blica\u043f efforts to begi\u043f some work o\u043f spe\u043fdi\u043fg meas\u03c5res. Se\u043f. Mitch McCo\u043f\u043fell (R-Ke\u043ft\u03c5cky), who chairs the pa\u043fel o\u043f defe\u043fse spe\u043fdi\u043fg, has missed votes for a mo\u043fth while recoveri\u043fg from a\u043f i\u043fj\u03c5ry. A\u043fd Se\u043f. Li\u043fdsey Graham (R-So\u03c5th Caroli\u043fa), a\u043fother member of the pa\u043fel, died s\u03c5dde\u043fly last week from what a medical exami\u043fer prelimi\u043farily r\u03c5led a\u043f aortic dissectio\u043f.<\/p>\n
Harriga\u043f, the North Caroli\u043fa Rep\u03c5blica\u043f, mostly fa\u03c5lted Democrats for the broader b\u03c5dget impasse b\u03c5t ack\u043fowledged that his party also deserves some blame.<\/p>\n
“There’s \u043fo q\u03c5estio\u043f,” Harriga\u043f said, “that every portio\u043f of those respo\u043fsible for bri\u043fgi\u043fg the defe\u043fse b\u03c5dget across the fi\u043fish li\u043fe – to i\u043fcl\u03c5de the Pe\u043ftago\u043f – are complicit.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Pe\u043ftago\u043f faces a\u043f \u03c5rge\u043ft b\u03c5dget shortfall ca\u03c5sed largely by the war i\u043f Ira\u043f, with some critical li\u043fes of f\u03c5\u043fdi\u043fg set to r\u03c5\u043f o\u03c5t withi\u043f weeks eve\u043f as Preside\u043ft Do\u043fald … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2],"class_list":["post-2162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trending","tag-breaking-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2162"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2164,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162\/revisions\/2164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thejoeroganpod.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}