What $11.3 Billion Could Have Bought Instead of the Iran War's First Week

The staggering cost of the war's opening days could have funded many other priorities.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:18am

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The Trump administration's war with Iran cost the United States more than $11.3 billion during its first week. The Associated Press breaks down what that kind of money could have bought instead, from individual purchases to broader societal investments.

Why it matters

The massive price tag of the war's early days raises questions about the opportunity cost and whether those funds could have been better allocated to address domestic needs or other foreign policy priorities.

The details

The $11.3 billion spent in the war's first week could have covered the annual salaries of over 200,000 public school teachers, provided healthcare coverage for over 1 million Americans, or built nearly 70,000 affordable housing units.

  • The war with Iran began in March 2026.

The players

Trump administration

The presidential administration that initiated the war with Iran.

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What’s next

The Associated Press plans to continue analyzing the long-term costs and tradeoffs of the war with Iran as the conflict progresses.

The takeaway

The staggering initial costs of the Iran war highlight the difficult choices policymakers face in allocating limited resources, underscoring the need for rigorous cost-benefit analysis and public debate around the nation's spending priorities.