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Trump’s Iran war has cost US $38.1 billion, CBO estimates; missile stocks face major strain

Trump’s Iran war has cost US $38.1 billion, CBO estimates; missile stocks face major strain

Trump's Iran war has cost US $38.1 billion. Here's where the money went Photograph: (X/CENTCOM)

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The US-Iran war has already cost Washington tens of billions of dollars, with the bill still rising. But the biggest concern may extend beyond money, as US missile-defence stocks face a potentially years-long recovery.

The cost of US President Donald Trump's war on Iran has risen to an estimated $38.1 billion till August, according to a report released by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). According to the report, the war could cost America another $2 billion to $3 billion for each additional month of fighting.

The CBO lists the report, "Estimating the Costs of Combat Operations Against Iran," among its current defence and national security studies.

Of the over $38 billion spent on the war, more than half was spent on replacing missiles and other munitions used in the conflict. Meanwhile, increased flying hours accounted for another $10.4 billion. Higher fuel prices added an estimated $2.7 billion, according to the figures in the report.

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The conflict has also placed heavy pressure on the US missile-defence stockpile. The CBO estimates that as much as two-thirds of the nation's missile-defence interceptors have been used since June 2025, largely as the US helped defend Israel against Iranian attacks.

"Rebuilding DoD’s inventory of interceptors would probably take at least five years, even if production was increased," the CBO said in the report, requested by Rep. Brendan Boyle, the Pennsylvania Democrat and top Democrat on the House Budget Committee.

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Missile shortages could affect US readiness

The depletion of interceptor stocks could have wider implications for US military planning, particularly in a potential conflict involving an adversary with large inventories of ballistic and cruise missiles.

The CBO specifically pointed to China and a possible conflict over Taiwan, warning that shortages could become "especially problematic" under those circumstances.

The pace of weapons use has also strained the broader US defence industrial base. A recent Defense Department inspector general assessment cited shortages of solid rocket motors, explosives, propellants and skilled workers as obstacles to rebuilding stockpiles.

War pushing up inflation and fuel prices

The economic effects of the conflict are extending beyond the Pentagon. Disruptions to oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, along with interruptions to shipping through the Red Sea, have pushed up energy and transportation costs.

The CBO estimates that by the first quarter of 2027, the war could add 0.5 percentage points to year-over-year inflation as measured by the personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge. Core PCE inflation could be 0.3 percentage points higher, it said.

"The price of almost every product reflects shipping costs," the CBO said. By early 2027, gasoline and other fuels are expected to account for about 40% of the conflict’s impact on consumer prices, according to the analysis.

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Moohita Kaur Garg

Moohita Kaur Garg is a journalist and Senior Sub-Editor at WION News with five years of experience covering the volatile intersections of geopolitics and global security. She has e...Read More