House Speaker Mike Johnson has called for a supplemental spending bill amid President Donald Trump’s escalating war with Iran – despite the fact the speaker has said that the United States is not at war.
“The presumption is we would need a supplemental because we’ve used quite a bit of munitions and we’ve got to replenish the stock,” he told The Independent. “It makes logical sense, I think, to everybody.”
Earlier in the day, Johnson said in his weekly press conference that the war is in its final phases.
“This is being watched very carefully, but we’re in the midst of an operation that is winding down, according to the president himself,” he said. “We are very close to having the mission completed.”
The Center for Strategic & International Studies estimated the U.S. has spent $16.5 billion by day 12 of the war. Tuesday marked the 18th day of the war.
Congress has debated the conflict that was started without legislative authorization. Congress is delegated the power to declare war by the Constitution.
Before the House adjourned two weeks ago, the House voted down a War Powers Act resolution led by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on Iran. That would have required that the White House inform Congress within 48 hours of troops being deployed and require that troops be withdrawn within 60 days if Congress had not filed a formal declaration of war or authorized the use of military force.
Johnson, on Tuesday, has also defended the fact that all of the briefings around Iran have been classified and there have been no open briefings.
“We’re in the midst of a of a couple of weeks-long operation that’s very sensitive in its mission and scope, and you cannot go outside of the classified briefing to give to the public the information, because it would adversely affect our mission,” he told reporters.
Despite Johnson’s repeated declarations that the United States is not at war, the White House and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have repeatedly used the word.
“We’re not at war right now, we’re four days into a very specific, clear mission and operation,” Johnson said a few days after the Trump administration and Israel began their joint attack on the Iranian regime.
The White House has said that the war is in the final phases, while at the same time hinting that troops might be sent into Iran.
Democrats have criticized the fact Congress have had its authority to rein in Trump significantly curtailed.
“Did no one ask whether this Strait of Hormuz would be closed by Iran? Did no one actually ask about what the extent of civilian casualties would be in Iran? Did nobody ask about what military casualties would be on our side?” Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland told The Independent. “So this is why it’s got to be up to Congress for deliberation and debate and decision, it’s not up to Donald Trump or JD Vance or Tulsi Gabbard.”
Democratic Rep. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, who is Iranian-American, said Democrats should oppose a supplemental spending package.
“Democrats absolutely should not vote for a supplemental on a war that has again, never been justified to the American people,” she told The Independent.
