Scott Perry says Iran should 'cover' $200B war cost to US after regime change
WASHINGTON, DC: GOP Representative Scott Perry said the $200 billion war funding bill for Iran would ultimately need to be paid by Iran, “after its regime changes,” when questioned about how the Pentagon plans to finance the conflict. He also said, “I support the president, I support this action," and stated that "we have to consider how we’re going to pay for it. Ideally, I’d like to see Iran cover the cost."
His remarks followed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s statement that the military is preparing its “largest strike package yet” amid ongoing tensions with Iran. The comments come as reports emerge that the Pentagon is seeking $200 billion in new funding from Congress for potential military operations.
Scott Perry suggests Iran should foot $200 billion war bill after regime change
Perry appeared on Thursday, March 19, edition of 'The Source' on CNN, suggested that Iran could ultimately bear the cost of a $200 billion war effort once its current leadership is removed. In an interview with Kaitlin Collins, Perry argued that decades of diverted resources have left Iran with the ability to pay for military operations “pretty quickly” under a new government.
He continued, whether it’s $20 billion or $200 billion, "they’ve been at odds with us for 47 years, and the president is finally putting an end to that, which is a positive development-but it comes at a price. Iran has substantial resources, which they’ve been diverting from their own people for the past four to five decades.”
“You want to see whatever this costs the US taxpayer, whatever the Pentagon does come to you and asks for, to be offset by Iran?” she asked. “Well, I think we gotta pay for this somehow, right?” Perry replied before insisting that Iran started the war. “I don’t see any reason why the people that started this war - it’s not the United States of America - it’s Iran.”
“Yeah, I understand your argument,” Collins replied. “But I don’t think anyone thinks that Iran’s actually gonna pay $200 billion to offset the cost.” “Yeah, right now, Iran’s not gonna pay for it,” Perry clarified. “But under a different paradigm where the ayatollah’s not in charge, and we have a different system of governance.”
Perry expressed strong support for removing Iran’s current leadership, calling the nation a longstanding source of terror and nuclear threats. “We can’t continue living under the shadow of potential nuclear war,” he said.
Pentagon asks Congress for $200 billion for the Iran war
The Pentagon is seeking an extra $200 billion to support military operations related to Iran, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The request has been sent to the White House, the official added.
The figure is unusually large, adding to the extra funding the Defense Department already received last year through Trump’s major tax cuts bill. Congress is preparing to review the new request, though it is unclear whether the White House has formally submitted it for consideration.
The Washington Post first reported the funding request. When asked about the figure at a press briefing on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not confirm the number, noting it could change. He emphasized the need for proper funding, saying, "We're going back to Congress and our folks there to ensure that we're properly funded." He also remarked, "It takes money to kill bad guys."
