Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) on Wednesday called the Iran war “illegal and unwinnable” and said it has cost Americans almost $50 billion, and almost $200 billion once oil and gas costs are included. The attached article puts the Pentagon’s own estimate at $47.1 billion.
Markey posted the following on X at 10:32 a.m. on Oct. 28, 2026, and attached a New York Times article to it:
“After 8 months, Trump’s illegal and unwinnable war in Iran has cost Americans almost $50 billion so far. With oil and gas costs, the total is almost $200 billion. Families should not be paying for a war they never approved and do not support. End this disaster now.”
The attached article, headlined “Iran War Cost Rises to $47.1 Billion, Pentagon Told Lawmakers” and dated Oct. 27, reported the cost reached $47.1 billion through Oct. 16, with munitions above 60 percent of expenses. It said the Pentagon incurred about $3.5 billion more in roughly six weeks, and that Hegseth and the administration are seeking as much as $70 billion in emergency military spending.
The article reported that the estimate excludes $1.5 billion in fuel and other costs, and the cost of repairing facilities damaged by Iranian attacks. Congressional officials said the bill could reach tens of billions of dollars if those facilities are rebuilt. The Pentagon says 18 service members have been killed and more than 860 injured.
The attached article does not include a combined figure covering oil and gas costs, and Markey’s post did not state how he reached almost $200 billion. A separate update from Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee estimates Americans have spent an additional $101 billion on gasoline since the war began.
Markey’s Record on the War
On Feb. 28, Markey called the strikes “illegal and unconstitutional,” saying they were not approved by Congress. He said there had been time for diplomacy and called for an immediate vote on the Kaine-Schiff war powers resolution.
On March 18, he voted for a second war powers resolution, which failed 47-53. He tied the war to rising gas prices and said, “We need to end this war now.”
On April 15, he voted for a resolution by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) that failed 47-52. He said the war had cost taxpayers around $50 billion so far, and that gas was $1.20 a gallon above pre-war levels. The Pentagon’s first public estimate came later, at $25 billion on April 29.
On April 22, he voted for a resolution by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) that failed 46-51. He said, “I will not vote for one more penny to fund this illegal war,” and that 13 service members had died.
His position on this issue predates this war. After the June 2025 strikes, he voted for Sen. Tim Kaine’s (D-Va.) resolution, which failed, saying Trump had acted against the Constitution without congressional approval.
On June 23, the Senate voted 50-48 to adopt a House-passed resolution directing Trump to remove forces from hostilities with Iran. Reuters called the conflict unpopular and said the vote was likely symbolic. A White House official said the resolution “has no significance.”
The Pentagon’s cost estimates have risen over time, from $25 billion in April to $37.5 billion in July, according to Reuters, and to $47.1 billion in the latest estimate. Reuters reported in April that gas averaged $4.04 a gallon, up from $3.15 a year earlier.