Trump's warning about Obama starting a war with Iran resurfaces as the Pentagon pegs his own war at $43.6B — $1,760 per household

The video from 2011 was posted by the Democratic party on their official X account. At the time, Trump claimed Obama would start a war with Iran in order to get re-elected — a claim he continued to back after Obama won the election.

Obama did not launch a military attack on Iran during his second term in office, instead signing a deal in 2015 to limit Iran’s nuclear program.

Now Trump’s ongoing war with Iran is running up a massive bill for the U.S. and it’s costing every U.S. household over $1,700.

The cost of the war

According to the U.S. Central Command, the cost of the war in Iran has grown to $43.6 billion as of Sept. 3. The figure offers the most up-to-date cost for the conflict which was launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28. It’s also higher than the previous estimate detailed in a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report released Sept. 15, which pinned the price tag at $38 billion through Aug. 1.

The Central Command breakdown shows weapons costs alone jumped by more than $6 billion in just over a month, rising from the $21.7 billion listed in the CBO report to $28.1 billion.

The latest report does not include the cost of damage to U.S. bases in the Middle East, which Iran has attacked with ballistic missiles and drones. A report from the Pentagon inspector general released Sept. 14 said the strikes have damaged and destroyed hundreds of buildings at U.S. bases across the region. The $43.6 billion price tag also doesn’t take into account the impact the ongoing conflict has had on oil prices and the stock market.

An analysis from Moody’s Analytics found as of Sept. 11 the total bill per household of the conflict is $1,760. According to CNBC, Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi said $930 of the bill comes from higher costs for energy, $425 comes from higher interest rates since the war broke out and the final $405 comes from higher military spending. According to Zandi, consumers will foot the bill for military spending through national debt expansion or higher taxes.

Trump pushes for historic military budget

Despite the high price of the war, Trump appears ready to keep fighting — and spending.

“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before?” the president said during his recent United Nations address. “Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?”

The Trump administration has been pushing for a historic $1.5 trillion military budget as part of the 2027 budget. The massive sum would mark a 42% increase over current funding levels. According to Democrats, the budget also proposes a 10% cut to domestic investments, including cuts to funding for public education, housing and medical research.

Trump is also asking for Congress to approve a $95 billion package to help fund the Iran war and other security priorities.