US has ‘plenty of money’ to fund Iran war, treasury chief says

2026-03-23 - 16:20

WASHINGTON — US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that Washington has sufficient funds to sustain its ongoing war against Iran, dismissing the need for tax increases despite a reported $200 billion Pentagon funding request.In an interview with NBC News, Bessent said the administration of President Donald Trump would not raise taxes to finance the war effort.“Why would we? We have plenty. We have a trillion dollars in this year's budget for the military,” he said.Bessent described the funding as supplemental, without detailing its source, adding that the administration is focused on ensuring the military remains fully equipped.He also defended the strikes on Iran’s infrastructure, saying escalation is sometimes necessary to achieve de-escalation and describing the attacks as “the only language the Iranians understand.”US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28 and have reportedly killed at least 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries, disrupting infrastructure, global markets and aviation.