US President Donald Trump with Republican senators, from left, Rick Scott, John Barrasso and John Thune, on June 24. BloombergUS President Donald Trump with Republican senators, from left, Rick Scott, John Barrasso and John Thune, on June 24. BloombergAdministration is asking for about $87.6bn to address 'urgent needs' related to conflict and other issuesThe NationalJune 24, 2026US President Donald ⁠Trump faced pointed criticism over the Iran war on Wednesday in a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans, ⁠before his administration asked Congress for about $87.6 billion to pay for ​the conflict.The Trump administration is asking for the amount to address "urgent needs" related to the Iran war, the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa and support for American farmers. About $70 billion is for the Pentagon.Several Republicans in the meeting said Mr Trump was in a shouting match with Senator Bill Cassidy, who said the administration needs to explain a preliminary agreement ⁠signed last week that provides financial incentives for Iran but does not accomplish any of the goals he laid out at the start of the war.The deal sets up 60 days of talks to tackle thornier details, including Iran's nuclear programme.Mr Cassidy, whose Senate career Mr Trump helped to end, repeatedly criticised him over the Middle East conflict, while Senate majority leader John Thune tried to make peace, a source told Bloomberg. "The American people need to know more than we are being told," Mr Cassidy told reporters later. "It does not appear, although I don't know for sure, that the course of this is going the way that we were told.“I make no apologies for standing up to the President, trying to demand that more information be shared with the Senate and more information be shared with the American people.”The loud exchange ⁠with a member of Mr Trump's own party was another example of how the war has weighed on the administration before November elections that will determine control of ​Congress. Only one ⁠in four Americans believes the war was worth its ‌costs, a Reuters/Ipsos poll suggests, and a Quinnipiac University survey found 45 per cent of respondents see the US as being in a weaker global position as a result of it. Mr Trump's approval rating is at its lowest level since he returned to office last year. Despite the flare-up, Republicans in Congress remain largely behind the president. Senator Rick Scott, a Trump loyalist, said he was right to be frustrated with the war-powers vote.“Well, I think if I was the president, I was in the middle of a negotiation to try to protect American lives, I would be frustrated too,” Mr Scott said.On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled ​Senate voted to direct Mr Trump to end the war, with Mr Cassidy being one of four members of his party to back the resolution.Updated: June 24, 2026, 10:25 PM