
Could the Iran War End Up Costing the US $1 Trillion?
From Headlines From The Times by LA Times Studios
May 1, 2026 · 5 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the potential financial impact of the Iran War on the U.S., with estimates reaching up to $1 trillion.
The Pentagon says the Iran War is costing $25 billion, but Democratic leaders are skeptical of the pricing, and Harvard’s Linda Bilmes says the war could end up costing up to $1 trillion. "Wars always cost more than expected" is how Bilmes puts it. Meanwhile, a new poll from Ipsos and Reuters found that only 24% of Americans see the war as being worth it. And the Iran War is costing everyday Americans too. The U.S. will keep a naval blockade on Iran until they give up their nuclear program, meaning oil prices will likely remain high, and when oil goes up, so does the cost of shipping, travel, and even groceries. Read more at https://LATimes.com.
Topics covered
- Iran War
- U.S. military spending
- public opinion
- oil prices
- economic impact
Keywords
- Iran War
- Pentagon
- Linda Bilmes
- military spending
- oil prices
- public opinion
- economic cost
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Pentagon, Ipsos, Reuters
Places: Iran, United States, U.S.
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