It is estimated that, since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the global war on terror will cost the United States government just over 5.4 trillion U.S. dollars. This figure includes estimates of all budgetary spending related to the war on terror between FY 2001 and FY 2020.
This figure of 5.4 trillion does not include the ongoing medical and disability expenditure for veterans beyond FY 2020, which is estimated to cost an additional one trillion U.S. dollars by FY 2059.
Total budgetary cost to the United States of the global war on terror between FY 2001 and FY 2020, by category
(in billion U.S. dollars)
Characteristic
Budgetary costs in billion U.S. dollars
OCO Appropriations* Dept. of Defense
1,959
OCO Appropriations* State Department and USAID
131
Estimated interest on borrowing**
925
Estimated base budget increase Dept. of Defense
803
Estimated base budget increase OCO for Base***
100
Homeland Security spending related to the war on terror
The fiscal year runs from October 1st to September 30th.
* OCO: Overseas Contingency Operations.
** Includes spending through FY 2020 on interest relating to borrowing for Dept. of Defense and State OCO.
*** "OCO for Base" is a new a budget category introduced by the Trump administration in FY 2019.
**** Includes spending through FY 2020 only, spending between FY 2020 and FY 2059 is estimated at over one trillion U.S. dollars.
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Brown University. (November 13, 2019). Total budgetary cost to the United States of the global war on terror between FY 2001 and FY 2020, by category (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1075849/total-us-war-costs-war-terror-category/
Brown University. "Total budgetary cost to the United States of the global war on terror between FY 2001 and FY 2020, by category (in billion U.S. dollars)." Chart. November 13, 2019. Statista. Accessed December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1075849/total-us-war-costs-war-terror-category/
Brown University. (2019). Total budgetary cost to the United States of the global war on terror between FY 2001 and FY 2020, by category (in billion U.S. dollars). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1075849/total-us-war-costs-war-terror-category/
Brown University. "Total Budgetary Cost to The United States of The Global War on Terror between Fy 2001 and Fy 2020, by Category (in Billion U.S. Dollars)." Statista, Statista Inc., 13 Nov 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1075849/total-us-war-costs-war-terror-category/
Brown University, Total budgetary cost to the United States of the global war on terror between FY 2001 and FY 2020, by category (in billion U.S. dollars) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1075849/total-us-war-costs-war-terror-category/ (last visited December 22, 2024)
Total budgetary cost to the United States of the global war on terror between FY 2001 and FY 2020, by category (in billion U.S. dollars) [Graph], Brown University, November 13, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1075849/total-us-war-costs-war-terror-category/
