Trump Demands Countries Protected by the US Must Repay 'Any and All' Iran War Costs After $47 Billion Estimate

Donald Trump says countries protected by the US during the Iran war must repay 'any and all costs', claiming he has already informed them, as a Pentagon estimate puts spending above $47 billion (£35 billion).

In a CBS News 60 Minutes interview broadcast on 8 November, Trump said: 'Those countries that we've protected are going to pay us back any and all costs that we've had for the war'. He added: 'We're gonna get all that money back'.

Trump added: 'And I've told 'em, and they're gonna do it, 100%'. He did not identify those governments or say whether any had agreed to pay.

Trump Links Repayment Demand to US Protection

Douthat challenged Trump's description of the Strait of Hormuz as open, noting vessels were travelling through under substantial US military protection.

Trump dismissed the cost of maintaining that presence as 'not very expensive' before demanding protected countries cover the war costs. The exchange connected the cost of protecting shipping with his argument that countries benefiting from American military protection should pay for it.

He then singled out Israel: 'Without us, they wouldn't exist. Without us, Israel wouldn't exist'. Trump pointed to the US operation in which B-2 bombers struck three Iranian nuclear sites more than a year earlier.

'If I didn't do that, there would be no Israel right now', he said. These were Trump's claims, not evidence Israel had accepted a repayment obligation.

US Iran War Costs Exceed $47 Billion

Reuters reported on 28 October that Pentagon data put US military spending above $47 billion (£35 billion), more than 25% higher than the July estimate of $37.5 billion (£27.9 billion).

CBS put the figure at $47.1 billion (£35.1 billion) through mid-October, citing US Central Command figures provided to lawmakers. The breakdown included about $29 billion (£21.6 billion) to replace expended munitions, $6.1 billion (£4.5 billion) for lost equipment and around $11.9 billion (£8.9 billion) in additional operational costs.

The figures illustrate the costs behind Trump's demand. But $47.1 billion (£35.1 billion) is not an invoice to allies or a confirmed amount each must pay. The estimate excluded damage to US military bases in the Middle East, so the full financial burden could be higher. The figures did not specify individual allied contributions.

No Repayment Agreement or Figures Disclosed

Although Trump claimed to have informed the countries concerned, he did not name them, specify how much each should pay or provide a timetable.

No government was confirmed to have accepted the demand or entered a repayment arrangement. Trump's assertion that countries would comply is not evidence of an agreement or payment.

Iran War Becomes a Midterm Issue

The interview also addressed Republican losses in the 3 November midterm elections.

Douthat asked Trump about Vice President JD Vance's assessment that the Iran war contributed to the party's poor performance. Trump replied: 'I don't disagree with it', while qualifying his response.

Trump nevertheless defended the attack, arguing Iran could not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon and that he would have faced greater criticism if it had. He also acknowledged opposition to the war, higher petrol (gasoline) prices and dislike of Israel among voters, placing his repayment demand amid scrutiny of the conflict's costs.