Politics

Trump Calls for Compensation from Israel and Gulf Allies for Iran War Costs

By Stephen Quillen

President Donald Trump said the United States would seek repayment from countries he said it had "protected" during the war on Iran. In a CBS News interview with Ross Douthat that aired Sunday, Trump stated that those countries would "pay us any and all costs we had for the war" and that the U.S. would receive the money back in full. He singled out Israel, saying the nation would not exist without U.S. military intervention, and added that Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait should also reimburse the United States. Trump’s remarks come after the administration declared the war "effectively over" militarily and after the president’s party suffered losses in the midterm elections, which he has linked to public discontent over the Iran conflict. According to the U.S. military, the war has cost $47.1 billion as of mid‑October, a figure that does not include damage to U.S. bases in the Middle East. The Congressional Budget Office estimated an additional $2‑$3 billion per month if the conflict continues. Analysts say Trump’s comments are likely political signaling rather than a concrete policy plan. Bader al‑Saif, an associate fellow at Chatham House, suggested that Gulf states will view the remarks as domestic rhetoric. Neil Quilliam of Chatham House also noted that the likelihood of direct compensation payments is low. Stefan Lukas, a Middle East security analyst, indicated that while large payments to Gulf allies are unlikely, Trump may pursue economic concessions from Israel, especially after announcing that U.S. aid to Israel would end this year. Al‑Saif and Farid Boussaid have suggested that compensation could take the form of increased investment or military sales, rather than direct monetary payments. Analysts predict that Gulf leaders will respond with quiet resistance, citing their own contributions to regional security and the financial losses they have already incurred. Marzieh Kouhi Esfahani of Durham University noted that Israel is unlikely to shift from a recipient to a payer of U.S. support, given existing intelligence cooperation and Israel’s resource constraints.