WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – The White House said President Donald Trump is interested in having Arab countries pay for the financial costs of the ongoing war in Iran.
Operation Epic Fury has cost upwards of $35 billion in the first five weeks of the conflict, averaging roughly $1 billion per day, according to analysis by CSIS. The U.S. is now looking into getting America’s allies in the Middle East to potentially foot the bill.
The Pentagon says the reason for the high financial costs can be attributed to high-intensity missile strikes and the deployment of naval and air assets to the region.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would be interested in calling on Arab countries to pay for war costs, similar to how Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE paid for the vast majority of the Persian Gulf War in 1990-1991.
“I think it’s something the president would be quite interested in calling them to do,” Leavitt said. “I won’t get ahead of him on that, but certainly it’s an idea that I know that he has, and something that I think you’ll hear more from him on.”
The Strait of Hormuz is essentially shut down, limiting exports of petroleum, which is severely impacting American truckers. The cost of diesel is averaging $5.38 a gallon, according to the Energy Department.
Leavitt said the administration is tracking the short-term fluctuation in oil and diesel prices.
“We understand. We hear you. We see you,” Leavitt said. “That’s why the president and the administration have continually announced robust actions to provide stability in the global energy market.”
Diesel prices are now over 50% higher than the same time last year and those higher costs are significantly impacting trucking profitability. While large carriers can impose fuel surcharges, most smaller operators can’t. Thousands of dollars in extra fuel costs are hurting their bottom lines.
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