Washington, March 31 – The Trump administration signaled on Monday that Arab nations could be asked to help bear the financial burden of the ongoing military campaign against Iran, even as US forces continue large-scale operations in the region.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the idea of Gulf partners contributing to war costs was under consideration, echoing past arrangements during earlier US-led conflicts in the Middle East.
"I think it's something the President would be quite interested in asking them to do," she said when asked whether countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or the UAE would be expected to contribute.
She added, "I won't get ahead of him on that, but certainly it's an idea that I know that he has."
The comments come as the United States presses ahead with its military campaign in Iran, which the White House says has significantly degraded Tehran’s military capabilities.
Leavitt said more than “11,000 enemy targets have been struck to date”, while Iran’s missile and drone attacks are “down by roughly 90 per cent.”
She said US forces had destroyed “more than 150” Iranian naval vessels, leaving the navy “combat ineffective”, and damaged or destroyed “nearly 70 per cent” of its missile, drone and naval production facilities.
At the same time, the administration is pursuing negotiations with Iran, describing the moment as “a truly once-in-a-generation opportunity” for Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
“Talks are continuing and going well,” she said, adding that private discussions appear more constructive than public statements.
President Donald Trump has also ordered a “ten-day pause” on strikes targeting Iranian energy infrastructure to allow space for diplomacy.
The question of war financing comes amid rising costs associated with sustained military operations and heightened deployments in the region.
During the 1990–91 Gulf War, a significant portion of US military expenses was offset by contributions from allied Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.