President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld thought that the Iraq-Afghanistan war would cost $40 billion and it ended up costing at least $3 trillion. So they were off by a factor of 75. And that's not counting how the US owes $7.3 trillion to veterans - mainly Iraq and Afghanistan and Gulf War veterans mostly, and some Vietnam vets.
For the Iran war, the White House has just asked for a $500 billion per year increase in the defense budget. That works out at roughly $4,000 per American household. But it's almost surely just the start - and it doesn't count the economic damage.
https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2026/04/13/the-real-cost-of-the-war-with-iran
For the Iran war, the White House has just asked for a $500 billion per year increase in the defense budget. That works out at roughly $4,000 per American household. But it's almost surely just the start - and it doesn't count the economic damage.
https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2026/04/13/the-real-cost-of-the-war-with-iran