Trump’s war on Iran is rapidly draining US navy budget, documents and interviews reveal
Exclusive: Experts and former officials say accounts are running dry, and funding a war with no clear endgame is the main challenge Donald Trump’s war on Iran has driven the US military into a severe financial crisis, with the US navy forced to transfer money from its payroll and other sources to cover the costs of combat, according to documents obtained by the Guardian, and interviews with navy…
New evidence and interviews reveal that Donald Trump's war on Iran is causing a severe financial crisis for the US military, particularly the US Navy. The conflict has depleted US munitions stockpiles, forced the Navy to divert funds from payroll and other sources to cover combat costs, and prompted retaliatory strikes by Iran that damaged strategic Middle Eastern bases.
A Pentagon memo warns of payroll account shortfalls as the department "raids" them to fund operations. Non-emergency maintenance at shore-based facilities has been postponed due to the funding crunch. The Navy's 2026 budget of nearly $300 billion includes allocations for personnel, shipbuilding, weapon systems, and operations and maintenance. However, the law limits how money can be reallocated.
The Navy is actively managing its resources to meet current pay obligations, but the cash shortage is widely known within the service. Former officials and experts warn that the piggy bank is broken and that the Navy may have to make difficult decisions about force generation and routine operations to ensure it can continue to support the war effort.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
