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The total cost of Operation Epic Fury (the US-led conflict with Iran that began on February 28, 2026) reached approximately $113 billion in direct military spe

The total cost of Operation Epic Fury (the US-led conflict with Iran that began on February 28, 2026) reached approximately $113 billion in direct military spending till April alone Spending. At parity with destruction.

dofm 4mo ago
And all, really, because Trump wanted to make a fuss about the idea of Iran getting access to $1.2bn of their own money under the JCPOA. Even with inflation and interest it'd be under $5bn now.
- margalabargala 4mo ago
  Don't make the mistake of thinking Trump cares about Iran, and how much money they have, at all. He cares about being able to put on a good spectacle. Shooting down the JCPOA did that. Going to war with Iran did that. This might be a geopolitical loss for the US, but that doesn't make it a personal loss for Trump, whose interests are not aligned with those of the US.
  - dofm 4mo ago
    It is an appalling loss for Trump because he knows he was humiliated and he cannot bear it. One thing you must understand about Trump is that he is a malignant narcissist: he has an absolutely acute sense for when shame attaches to him personally and he will do anything to deflect it or deny it. In this case, for example, suddenly Vance is "the architect of the deal". When he can no longer bear to be associated even to this level he will do something else awful to distract himself from the feelings he is experiencing. (You could argue that this is why the conflict started when it did). But expect at least some more sabre-rattling about Greenland, more calling Canada the 51st State and Mark Carney "Governor", more dangling a Cuba invasion in front of pathetic Lidl' Marco, etc.
    - margalabargala 4mo ago
      Trump has several personal goals that sometimes compete. - Be plausably better than Obama - Enrich himself and his family - Stay out of prison The Iran debacle may have utterly failed at the first goal, but not the second two. His relatives made money hand over fist, and the Epstein files have exited public discourse for the time being.
mannanj 4mo ago
ah. so over $100 billion, about 25% of which safe to assume went to friends and CEOs and executives at companies of friends of people making the big decisions at the top. Great extrapolation and extraction of value.

dofm 4mo ago

And all, really, because Trump wanted to make a fuss about the idea of Iran getting access to $1.2bn of their own money under the JCPOA. Even with inflation and interest it'd be under $5bn now.

margalabargala 4mo ago
Don't make the mistake of thinking Trump cares about Iran, and how much money they have, at all. He cares about being able to put on a good spectacle. Shooting down the JCPOA did that. Going to war with Iran did that. This might be a geopolitical loss for the US, but that doesn't make it a personal loss for Trump, whose interests are not aligned with those of the US.
- dofm 4mo ago
  It is an appalling loss for Trump because he knows he was humiliated and he cannot bear it. One thing you must understand about Trump is that he is a malignant narcissist: he has an absolutely acute sense for when shame attaches to him personally and he will do anything to deflect it or deny it. In this case, for example, suddenly Vance is "the architect of the deal". When he can no longer bear to be associated even to this level he will do something else awful to distract himself from the feelings he is experiencing. (You could argue that this is why the conflict started when it did). But expect at least some more sabre-rattling about Greenland, more calling Canada the 51st State and Mark Carney "Governor", more dangling a Cuba invasion in front of pathetic Lidl' Marco, etc.
  - margalabargala 4mo ago
    Trump has several personal goals that sometimes compete. - Be plausably better than Obama - Enrich himself and his family - Stay out of prison The Iran debacle may have utterly failed at the first goal, but not the second two. His relatives made money hand over fist, and the Epstein files have exited public discourse for the time being.

mannanj 4mo ago

ah. so over $100 billion, about 25% of which safe to assume went to friends and CEOs and executives at companies of friends of people making the big decisions at the top. Great extrapolation and extraction of value.