Nearly the entire Democratic caucus in the U.S. Senate is pressing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide Congress with a complete accounting of the financial costs of the war in Iran, including related budget requests. Forty-six Democratic senators sent a letter to Hegseth on Thursday, led by Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, demanding a detailed breakdown of the expenses associated with military operations against Iran. While the Pentagon has released some estimates, it has not yet provided a full picture of the war’s costs, including the expenses for repairing U.S. military bases, replacing damaged aircraft and naval assets, and refurbishing equipment worn down by seven months of conflict. The senators sent the letter as they review a $67 billion supplemental funding request from the Pentagon, and amid growing frustration from both Democrats and some Republicans over the war’s lack of progress and the transparency of the information being shared with Congress. The letter criticizes the Pentagon for not providing the kind of detailed information that previous administrations, both Republican and Democratic, shared with the public and lawmakers during past wars. It notes that the Pentagon has not offered regular briefings to Congress or the media, unlike past conflicts. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who has faced questions about his party affiliation, did not sign the letter and has not publicly commented on the matter. The Pentagon has not responded to requests for comment. Earlier this week, NBC News reported that the Defense Department’s inspector general estimated the war’s cost at about $33 billion as of June 30, excluding repairs to facilities. A report from the Congressional Budget Office placed the cost at $38 billion and linked the war to rising inflation. Critics argue these figures underestimate the true financial burden of the conflict. During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing in late July, Hegseth stated the cost of the Iran war was $37.5 billion, including payroll, operations, and maintenance costs through the end of the fiscal year. The senators are also requesting a detailed breakdown of the Pentagon’s $67 billion supplemental budget request and an accounting of the $34 billion allocated by a tax and spending bill signed by former President Donald Trump last year. The letter highlights the lack of public briefings or hearings on the war, noting that during the initial months of the Iraq War in 2003, then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld provided Congress with frequent updates. In contrast, Hegseth has only briefed Congress seven times since the war began in February, and has been reluctant to answer basic questions about the war’s objectives and costs. The letter also points out that the Pentagon’s $67 billion funding request was much shorter and less detailed than similar requests during past wars, with only vague references to specific expenses. The senators argue that Hegseth’s own past statements—emphasizing the need for transparency about taxpayer money—support their demand for more detailed financial information.