Bloomberg reports that America’s allies are counting the cost of the Trump Israel Iran war – with strained relationships, sidelined NATO partners, and a conspicuous US absence from international efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. French President Macron called for medium‑sized powers to stand up to US “unpredictability.” The UK now touts defiance of Trump as a domestic strength. But the mainstream media misses the deeper wound: this war was launched without congressional approval, making it an unconstitutional war Iran never provoked, and its real cost is being paid by American taxpayers and Middle Eastern civilians.
Let’s follow the money. According to the Costs of War Project at Brown University, post‑9/11 US wars have cost $8 trillion – enough to have rebuilt America’s infrastructure twice over. The Iran conflict alone is burning through an estimated $1‑2 billion per day. Meanwhile, OpenSecrets reports that the defence industry spent $2.6 billion on lobbying over two decades to ensure endless conflict. Lockheed Martin’s stock rose 33% in early 2026 as the war escalated. Who profits from war? The same executives who met with President Trump to “quadruple production” – paid for by your paycheck.
And US tax dollars funding Israel continue to flow at $3.8 billion annually, plus billions more in emergency aid. This money directly subsidises the strikes that closed the Strait of Hormuz, killed over 5,000 people, and now leave America diplomatically isolated. The Bloomberg piece notes that not one ally joined the US‑Israeli campaign – not even Gulf states under Iranian missile fire. That’s not just a diplomatic failure; it’s a warning that the empire is overstretched.
So why isn’t Congress debating this? And why are your representatives silent on the profiteering? Tell your representative to bring the troops home and stop the endless funding. Demand that your tax dollars be spent on schools, healthcare – not on bombs that destroy lives and alliances.
Source: Bloomberg – reprinted for commentary and analysis under fair use. The following is the original reporting:
Allies Count Cost to US Ties From Trump’s War
The damage to Washington’s international standing could linger.
By John Bowker
Donald Trump’s decision to pull back from the brink with Iran has triggered a collective sigh of relief.
Oil prices plunged and markets rallied after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire and talks to resolve the war’s many outstanding issues. The critical Strait of Hormuz is to reopen to energy supplies — albeit via coordination with Iran.
Amid all the uncertainty, one tangible reality stands out: For most American allies, the events of the past six weeks have severely strained their relationship with Washington.
Shut out from whatever war planning there was, not one country — let alone NATO as a bloc — directly joined the US-Israeli military campaign. Even those with the most justification to get involved — namely the Persian Gulf countries under daily attack by Iranian missiles — resisted.
Many, like Japan, instead looked to pursue a separate diplomatic track, particularly on opening Hormuz.
The UK chaired a meeting of some 35 nations to discuss ways to persuade Iran to allow access for at least some ships. The US was conspicuous by its absence.
The United Arab Emirates appealed to the UN to authorize measures to open the strait by any means necessary. Again, the US was not involved.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the quiet part out loud by calling on medium-sized powers to stand up to Trump, citing US “unpredictability.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is now touting his defiance of Trump as a domestic strength.
NATO chief Mark Rutte is under fire from alliance members for shrugging off Trump’s insults and backing the Iran war.
More than 5,000 people have died in this conflict, mostly in Iran and in Lebanon, where Israel’s parallel war against Tehran-backed Hezbollah is ongoing.
For now, the US president’s apocalyptic threats to wipe out Iranian civilization appear to be on hold.
The damage to America’s international standing is likely to be more lasting.
As Trump’s deadline approached for Iran to reach a ceasefire or face “all hell,” Pakistan emerged as a key mediator to help deliver the two-week pause. The developments show the extent to which Islamabad has become a central player in helping to de-escalate the conflict, leveraging its close ties with Saudi Arabia, Iran, the US and China to provide a communication channel between the warring parties, passing messages between both sides over the past few weeks.
