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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Aram Roston

Trump’s war on Iran is rapidly draining US navy budget, documents and interviews reveal

People dressed in red work on silver missiles
US navy sailors on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln as part of Operation Epic Fury, on 28 February 2026. Photograph: US navy/Getty Images

Donald Trump’s war on Iran has driven the US military into a severe financial crisis, with the US navy forced to transfer money from its payroll and other sources to cover the costs of combat, according to documents seen by the Guardian, and interviews with navy officials, contractors and defense analysts.

The US-Israeli operation, which has depleted US munitions stockpiles and prompted retaliatory Iranian strikes that have wrecked strategic bases across the Middle East, is piling pressure on budgets across the military.

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