So here's the timeline, according to the people running the numbers: the Pentagon thinks the U.S. conflict with Iran could wrap up in about a month to a month and a half. That's the word from Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, who appeared on CBS's Face the Nation over the weekend.
Hassett said the military believes the operation is moving faster than initially planned. "As of Saturday, the Pentagon believed that it would take four to six weeks to complete this mission and that we're ahead of schedule," he noted, adding that the conflict is already in its third week. Of course, the final call on when it all ends rests with President Donald Trump.
While the administration projects an end in sight, it's also telling Americans to brace for some economic bumps in the road—specifically, higher prices at the pump. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, speaking on ABC's This Week, framed it as a necessary trade-off. "I think that this conflict will certainly come to an end in the next few weeks—could be sooner than that," Wright said. "This is short-term pain to get through to a much better place."
The "pain" he's referring to is largely tied to energy markets, where tensions around the Strait of Hormuz—a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments—have already pushed gas prices higher. Wright mentioned that the U.S. Navy might step in to escort commercial tankers to help ease supply pressures.
On the financial side, Hassett said the Trump administration does not anticipate needing to ask Congress for more money to fund the war, even as the costs are adding up. A Reuters report recently revealed that the first six days of the conflict alone cost an estimated $11.3 billion. Hassett indicated the total is around $12 billion so far, but he asserted the administration has the weapons and resources it needs without a supplemental funding request.
Not everyone in Washington is buying the administration's relatively optimistic stance. Senator Chris Murphy issued a stark warning, suggesting President Trump had "lost control" of the conflict. Murphy highlighted the rising regional tensions, drone attacks, and the real risk of the situation spiraling into a wider Middle East war. He cautioned that continued disruption at the Strait of Hormuz wouldn't just mean expensive gas—it could potentially trigger a global recession and send prices for energy and food soaring even higher.
So, to sum it up: the Pentagon has a four-to-six week clock running. The White House says funding is covered and the end is in sight, but they're asking for patience on gas prices. And critics in Congress are watching nervously, worried the clock might be ticking toward something much bigger.
