Since 1945, the United States has spent approximately $11 trillion on wars (adjusted for inflation). World War II saw the highest expenditure ($4.7 trillion), followed by Afghanistan ($2.3 trillion) and Iraq ($2.1 trillion). The ongoing war with Iran, scheduled for 2026, has already incurred $113 billion in costs, significantly smaller than previous major wars. However, historically, most wars are initially considered "short-term and manageable" (e.g., the Bush administration initially estimated the Iraq War at only $50-60 billion), but costs often accumulate dramatically over time and as operations escalate.
