Trump seeks billions in new funding as Congress challenges Iran war

US President Donald Trump's administration has asked Congress to approve an additional 87.6 billion dollars in funding.

US President Donald Trump’s administration has asked Congress to approve an additional 87.6 billion dollars in funding, with most of the money intended to support military operations linked to the ongoing conflict with Iran. The request has set up another political battle in Washington as lawmakers from both parties continue to question the war and the president’s use of military powers.

According to the proposal submitted by the White House, 67.15 billion dollars would be allocated to the military. This comes on top of nearly one trillion dollars already approved for defence last year and another 1.5 trillion dollars that the administration is seeking in next year’s budget.

The White House said the new funding would cover operational costs related to the Iran conflict. The request includes money for military personnel, maintaining combat readiness, replacing weapons used during the fighting and supporting classified defence programmes. It also sets aside 21 billion dollars to purchase ammunition, strengthen the country’s defence industry and improve critical military capabilities.

The request comes only a day after the US Senate passed a war powers resolution calling on President Trump to halt military action against Iran. The measure followed similar action by the House of Representatives and received support from a small number of Republican lawmakers along with almost all Democrats. Although the resolution is largely symbolic, it reflects growing concern in Congress over the administration’s handling of the conflict.

Tensions were also visible during a private meeting between Trump and Republican senators on Wednesday. According to reports, the president became involved in a heated exchange with Senator Bill Cassidy, who supported the resolution and questioned the administration’s strategy on Iran.

Lawmakers from both political parties have expressed frustration over what they describe as a lack of information from the White House about the conflict. Many members of Congress argue that the Constitution gives lawmakers the authority to approve military action and have accused the administration of bypassing that responsibility.

The funding request is expected to face strong opposition as public support for the war remains limited. With congressional elections approaching in November, many Republicans are expected to face difficult questions from voters over additional spending on the conflict.

Democrats have criticised the proposal, saying the administration should focus on addressing rising living costs instead of increasing military spending. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer argued that American families need relief from higher fuel and food prices rather than more money for war. Senator Patty Murray also said she would carefully review the proposal but would not automatically support additional funding for what she described as an unnecessary conflict.

Beyond military spending, the administration has requested 1.4 billion dollars to respond to the Ebola outbreak in Africa. The package includes funding for humanitarian assistance and global health programmes aimed at preventing the disease from spreading internationally.

The proposal also includes 11.1 billion dollars to support American farmers, one billion dollars to strengthen pensions for former Delphi workers and additional funding for infrastructure projects. The White House has requested 500 million dollars for construction projects in Washington and one billion dollars to help rebuild New York’s Penn Station.

With Republicans holding only narrow majorities in Congress, the administration may need Democratic support to secure approval of the spending package, making negotiations in the coming weeks especially important.