Republicans Start to Rebel as Trump Asks for $200 Billion for Iran War

Source: The New Republic · Bias: Left

Summary

Republicans in Congress may not be on board with sending hundreds of billions of dollars in additional funding for the war with Iran. The Department of Defense asked the White House for over $200 billion in additional funding for the war, and that price tag is proving to be too steep for even Donald Trump’s allies. Representative Lauren Boebert told CNN Thursday that “I am a no. I have already told leadership. I am a no on any war supplemental. I am so tired of spending money over there.” “I have folks in Colorado who can’t afford to live. We need America first policies right now,” Boebert added. While other Republicans haven’t come out as a firm no like her, they are expressing misgivings with the staggering cost attached to the war, which could make the Pentagon request dead on arrival. “What are we doing? We’re talking about boots on the ground. We’re talking about that kind of extended activity. Now we’re in a whole ‘nother zip code,” Representative Chip Roy said to the news outlet. “They got a whole lot more briefing and a whole lot more explaining to do on how we’re going to pay for it, and what’s the mission here?” One of Trump’s few Republican critics in Congress, Representative Thomas Massie, echoed concerns about the cost and the time frame of the war. “It begs the question, how long do they plan to be there? What are the goals? Is this the first $200 billion? Does this turn into a trillion?” Massie asked. Senator Lisa Murkowski said that she wouldn’t approve any more funding for the war until the Trump administration explained its plans to Congress. “The people in Alaska are asking me how long is this going on? Are there going to be boots on the ground, how much is this going to cost?” Murkowski told CNN Thursday. “The answer to most of this is I don’t know.” Trump’s actual goal for the war still isn’t clear, as members of his administration—and Israeli officials—have offered shifting explanations. In a Thursday congressional hearing, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard admitted that the U.S. and Israel aren’t aligned on the war’s endgame, saying that Trump is more focused on Iran’s offensive weapons capability while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking total regime change, which would require more funding and more time. If that means ground troops, more Republicans may openly come out and oppose the war going any further. Representative Tim Burchett told CNN, “I think we need to find an exit strategy as fast as possible. I don’t want to put Americans on the ground out there in any shape, form or fashion.”

Related Coverage

Daily Analysis

Read the full Parallax Pulse for March 19, 2026 — an AI-powered analysis of how Left and Right media covered the biggest stories this day.

More Headlines From March 19, 2026

arallaxNews.io
Republicans Start to Rebel as Trump Asks for $200 Billion for Iran War
The New Republic

Republicans Start to Rebel as Trump Asks for $200 Billion for Iran War

Left

Republicans in Congress may not be on board with sending hundreds of billions of dollars in additional funding for the war with Iran. The Department of Defense asked the White House for over $200 billion in additional funding for the war, and that price tag is proving to be too steep for even Donald Trump’s allies. Representative Lauren Boebert told CNN Thursday that “I am a no. I have already told leadership. I am a no on any war supplemental. I am so tired of spending money over there.” “I have folks in Colorado who can’t afford to live. We need America first policies right now,” Boebert added. While other Republicans haven’t come out as a firm no like her, they are expressing misgivings with the staggering cost attached to the war, which could make the Pentagon request dead on arrival. “What are we doing? We’re talking about boots on the ground. We’re talking about that kind of extended activity. Now we’re in a whole ‘nother zip code,” Representative Chip Roy said to the news outlet. “They got a whole lot more briefing and a whole lot more explaining to do on how we’re going to pay for it, and what’s the mission here?” One of Trump’s few Republican critics in Congress, Representative Thomas Massie, echoed concerns about the cost and the time frame of the war. “It begs the question, how long do they plan to be there? What are the goals? Is this the first $200 billion? Does this turn into a trillion?” Massie asked. Senator Lisa Murkowski said that she wouldn’t approve any more funding for the war until the Trump administration explained its plans to Congress. “The people in Alaska are asking me how long is this going on? Are there going to be boots on the ground, how much is this going to cost?” Murkowski told CNN Thursday. “The answer to most of this is I don’t know.” Trump’s actual goal for the war still isn’t clear, as members of his administration—and Israeli officials—have offered shifting explanations. In a Thursday congressional hearing, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard admitted that the U.S. and Israel aren’t aligned on the war’s endgame, saying that Trump is more focused on Iran’s offensive weapons capability while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking total regime change, which would require more funding and more time. If that means ground troops, more Republicans may openly come out and oppose the war going any further. Representative Tim Burchett told CNN, “I think we need to find an exit strategy as fast as possible. I don’t want to put Americans on the ground out there in any shape, form or fashion.”

Read Full Story at Source