Washington, D.C. – In response to the Pentagon reportedly asking the White House for $200 billion in supplemental war funding, Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) president Steve Ellis released the following statement:

“Taxpayers haven’t gotten any clarity from the administration about the goals or costs of this war. To date, all we’ve seen are ballpark estimates, and lowballed ones at that. Now, Secretary Hegseth wants $200 billion for a war that Congress never authorized?

“To be clear, this supplemental war funding isn’t about supporting the troops. The Pentagon got an 18 percent boost in spending for this year, including a $153 billion slush fund. They have the flexibility to address immediate needs while they pursue a conclusion to this war.

“$200 billion is 20 percent of the Pentagon’s budget this year. This is much more than the direct cost of the war so far, and likely more than will be needed anytime soon. This request begs the question: is the Pentagon just trying to pad its already-massive budget, or is the administration planning for a protracted war? Furthermore, this request presumably means the Pentagon has detailed cost assessments it’s using to justify it. Why haven’t cost assessments been made public?

“Policymakers’ St. Patrick’s Day gift to the country was the national debt surpassing $39 trillion. The administration hasn’t offered clear and coherent goals or strategies for this war, and until it does, Congress should reject supplemental war funding out of hand.”

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Taxpayers for Common Sense is a nonpartisan budget watchdog committed to eliminating wasteful spending and promoting fiscal transparency and accountability.