After Duckworth Push, DoD Inspector General Releases First Quarterly Iran War Report

September 15, 2026 After Duckworth Push, DoD Inspector General Releases First Quarterly Iran War Report [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Following U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth’s (D-IL) push, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG), as the Lead OIG on the war, released its first quarterly watchdog report on Operation Epic Fury after Duckworth called for and then secured Inspector General (IG) oversight of Donald Trump’s costly, illegal war against Iran. The report details how the first four months of this war, ending in June, cost American taxpayers a whopping $33.7 billion dollars—including $22 billion spent on munitions alone and $184 million in damages from Iranian strikes on U.S. diplomatic facilities in the Middle East. “For the first time in nearly eight months, the American people finally have an official glimpse into the cost of this disastrous war—and it is jaw-dropping. On top of the financial pain being inflicted on middle-class pocketbooks, this report sheds new light on how this illegal war is making all Americans less safe by draining our military resources and hollowing out the diplomatic footprint that we sorely need at full strength to end this war. And make no mistake: this report is still a gross underestimate of the grand total that taxpayers are already on the hook for. “Our servicemembers are exhausted, our munitions are depleted, our diplomatic capabilities have been wrecked and 18 of our troops will never come home. The American people deserve transparency about how their taxpayer dollars are being spent and how their national security is being weakened by this quagmire that is leaving them worse off. “No matter how hard the Administration tries to keep us in the dark, I will keep demanding answers, accountability and an end to Trump’s costly war of choice.” The DoD OIG’s first quarterly report is the first government accounting to pull together, across Federal agencies, the costs, scope and scale of the opening silos of Trump’s disastrous war, which has resulted in the deaths of 18 brave servicemembers. The report illuminates exactly how Donald Trump’s reckless, unjustified war has pushed U.S. military and diplomatic infrastructure to the brink, creating urgent munitions shortfalls, siphoning money intended to cover payroll for our troops and personnel, redirecting resources from the Indo-Pacific and other critical national security priorities and leaving the Trump administration scrambling and dangerously unprepared for future contingencies and emergencies abroad. It confirms that Donald Trump blew at least $33.7 billion dollars in the first four months of his reckless war, a cost that does not include millions in repairs to military and diplomatic facilities that the Department of Defense has not yet quantified and likely undercounts necessary diplomatic repairs, by the State Department’s own admission. Additionally, following a request from Duckworth and other Senate Democrats, today the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) independently estimated that approximately $38 billion has been spent on Trump’s war through the end of July, with each concurrent month set to rack up another $2-3 billion in spending. That estimate is likely a significant underestimate, as it misses various costs such as damaged facilities or fuel expenditure. Duckworth has been an outspoken critic of Trump’s illegal, needless war in Iran since it began. She is one of the Senate Six —the original group of Senators who have been forcing votes on War Powers Resolutions that would cease hostilities in Iran, which Republicans have shamefully blocked nine times. Last month, the Senator introduced legislation to stop Trump’s desperate attempt to obscure how long his illegal war against Iran has lasted, dishonor the sacrifice of our troops injured and killed in combat and hide the true cost of his disastrous war from the American people. Ahead of the Senate’s vote on her own War Powers resolution in April, Duckworth gave impassioned remarks drawing on her personal experience serving in our nation’s last war of choice in the Middle East, imploring Republicans to remember their oaths and vote to help rein in this unhinged President—which they did not. -30- Print Tweet Previous Article