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Pentagon Requests $200 Billion from White House Amid Trump’s Consideration of Troop Deployment for Next Phase in Iran Conflict

News

NewsFinale Journal

March 19, 2026

Pentagon Requests $200 Billion from White House Amid Trump’s Consideration of Troop Deployment for Next Phase in Iran Conflict

The Pentagon has put forth a request for $200 billion to support military operations in Iran, as President Trump weighs the possibility of sending additional troops to the region.

This move hints at a potential escalation in the ongoing conflict, with the U.S. aiming to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz amidst continued bombings.

The request for funds follows a report revealing that the U.S. has already expended approximately $3.7 billion, averaging $891.4 million daily, during the initial 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury, with costs soaring to $11 billion within the first week.

Insiders informed The Washington Post that the Pentagon has approached the White House to seek this financial backing from Congress.

However, it remains uncertain whether the White House will proceed with the request, as some members of the Trump administration anticipate congressional opposition to the proposal.

Democrats remain largely against the war efforts and Kentucky libertarian Rand Paul typically votes against military funding, meaning the 60 votes to avoid a filibuster may not be there.

A spokesperson for the Pentagon declined to comment when reached by The Daily Mail.

The Trump administration is considering sending thousands of troops to reinforce its operation in the Middle East, a US official and three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The deployments could help provide Trump with additional options as he weighs expanding US operations, with the Iran war well into its third week.

A supplemental funding request of up to $200billion and the potential of Donald Trump deploying troops to secure the Strait of Hormuz could signal a new phase in the war with Iran

The funding request comes after a study concluded that the US has spent around $3.7 billion, or $891.4 million a day, on wartime efforts in the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury, rising to $11 billion in the first week alone

Those options ‌include securing safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a mission that would be accomplished primarily through air and naval forces, the sources said.

But securing the Strait could also mean deploying US troops to Iran’s shoreline, said four sources, including two US officials.

Reuters granted the sources anonymity to speak about military planning.

The Trump administration has also discussed options to send ground forces to Iran’s Kharg Island, the hub for 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports, three people familiar with the matter and three US officials said.

One of the officials said such an operation would be very risky. Iran has the ability to reach the island with missiles and drones.

The United States carried out strikes against military targets on the island on March 13 and Trump has threatened to also strike its critical oil infrastructure.

However, given its vital role in Iran’s economy, controlling the ⁠island would likely be viewed as a better option than destroying it, military experts say.

Any use of US ground troops – even for a limited mission – could pose significant political risks for Trump, given low support among the American public for the Iran campaign and Trump’s own campaign promises to avoid entangling the US in new Middle East conflicts.

The Trump administration is considering sending thousands of troops to reinforce its operation in the Middle East at the Strait of Hormuz

Trump administration officials have also discussed the possibility of deploying US forces to secure Iran’s stocks of highly enriched uranium, one of the people familiar with the matter said.

The sources did not believe a deployment of ground forces anywhere in Iran was imminent but declined to discuss specifics of US operational planning.

Experts say the task of securing Iran’s uranium stockpiles would be highly complex and risky, even for US special operations forces.

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: ‘There has been no decision to send ground troops at this time, but President Trump wisely keeps all options at his disposal.

‘The president is focused on achieving all of the defined objectives of Operation Epic Fury: destroy Iran’s ballistic missile capacity, annihilate their navy, ensure their terrorist proxies cannot destabilize the region, and guarantee that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon.’

The discussions come as the US military continues to attack Iran’s navy, its missile and drone stockpiles and its defense industry.

The US has carried out more than 7,800 strikes since launching the war on ‌February 28 ⁠and damaged or destroyed more than 120 Iranian vessels so far, according to a factsheet released on Wednesday by the US Central Command, which oversees the roughly 50,000 U.S. troops in the Middle East.

Trump has said his goals go beyond degrading Iran’s military capabilities and could include securing safe passage through the Strait and preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Explosions erupt following strikes at Tehran Oil Refinery in Tehran

Ground forces could help broaden his options to address those goals, but carry significant risk.

Even without any direct conflict in Iran, 13 US troops have been killed so far in the war and about 200 have been wounded, although the vast majority of the injuries have been minor, the US military says.

For years, Trump has railed against his predecessors for getting involved in conflicts and has vowed to keep ⁠the United States out of foreign wars.

But more recently he has refused to rule out the possibility of ‘boots on the ground’ in Iran.

A senior White House official told Reuters that Trump has various options for acquiring Iran’s nuclear material but has not decided how to proceed.

‘Certainly there are ways in which it could be acquired,’ the official said, adding: ‘He hasn’t made a decision yet.’

In written testimony to lawmakers on Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Iran’s nuclear enrichment program had been obliterated by strikes ⁠in June and the entrances to those underground facilities had been ‘buried and shuttered with cement.’

The sources said the discussions on US reinforcements go beyond the arrival of an Amphibious Ready Group next week in the Middle East, with an attached Marine Expeditionary Unit that includes more than 2,000 Marines.

But one of the sources noted that the US military was losing a significant number of forces with the decision to send the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier to Greece for ⁠maintenance after a fire on board the vessel.

Trump has also oscillated on whether the U.S. should secure the Strait of Hormuz.

After initially saying the U.S. Navy could escort vessels, he called on other countries to help open the key water way. With little interest from allies, Trump on Wednesday mused about simply leaving.

‘I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so called ‘Strait?,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Delay in Repayments Raises Concerns Over the Future of Renowned Australian Business

NewsFinale Journal

March 19, 2026

Delay in Repayments Raises Concerns Over the Future of Renowned Australian Business

Concerns have emerged regarding the future of one of Australia’s historic department stores following a surprising report indicating it has been taking twice as long as usual to settle payments with its suppliers.

David Jones, established back in 1838, had previously announced plans to close two outlets located in Castle Hill and Tuggerah on New South Wales’ Central Coast by 2026.

Currently, the department store operates over 40 locations nationwide, employing around 9,000 people across Australia and New Zealand.

However, a recent analysis conducted by commercial credit agency CreditorWatch disclosed that David Jones is averaging 16 days to pay its suppliers.

This payment duration significantly exceeds the industry norm, which typically stands at seven days.

Businesses typically delay paying some invoices to balance cashflow, and this does not necessarily indicate a company is experiencing cashflow problems.

The agency ranked David Jones as having a ‘low’ risk of default within the next year.

This means ‘unfavourable economic conditions may lead to a weakened capability to meet financial commitments’, the report notes.

David Jones’ average overdue payments to suppliers were 16 days – more than double the industry average, according to a new report by a commercial credit agency

The department store announced Castle Hill and Tuggerah stores on the NSW Central Coast would close in 2026 after 34 years (pictured)

The retailer’s most recent financial report to ASIC in March 2025, seen by the Herald Sun, reported a net loss of $74.4million from $2.2billion in gross sales during the financial year up to June 30, 2024.

David Jones recorded a ‘bullet loan’ of $26.3million, which was due to ‘mature’ in September 2024 – meaning it must then be paid in full.

Another important loan was for $150million to fund working capital, which matures on March 27 this year.

It also reportedly extended payment times to its suppliers, raising questions over whether the $150million loan can be resolved by next week.

The Daily Mail has contacted David Jones’ business operations owner, Anchorage Capital Partners, for comment.

Many of David Jones’ major partners have already agreed to the streamlined payments approach, with further discussions underway.

A spokesperson for David Jones said the decision to push out payments to suppliers was part of broader approach across the company.

‘We are streamlining our operational and financial processes to build a stronger, more efficient, and more sustainable business model,’ they said.

A spokesperson for David Jones has said the company’s decision to push out payments to suppliers was part of ‘streamlining’ the ‘operational and financial processes’

‘This includes implementing a new supplier payment process within our Oracle finance system, enhancing our Purchase Order procedures and updating our standard payment terms to reflect these improvements and enable continued investment in growth and innovation.’

Private equity investors Anchorage Capital Partners bought David Jones’ operating business in 2022 for about $100million.

A statement from the company claimed customers have been benefiting from a $250million transformation program aimed at improving long-term growth.

‘This includes major store refurbishments, the launch of a mobile app, the evolution of its e-commerce platform, and the launch of a new loyalty program,’ they told the Herald Sun.

‘Trading conditions for David Jones in the first half of the 2026 financial year have been strong and show growth on the previous comparable period.

‘We intend to continue investing in the business, supported by our financial partners, and look forward to enabling continued growth and innovation for David Jones.’

Months of high inflation have squeezed Australian retailers, forcing many to cut staff, scale back operations or shut their doors entirely.

Peak policy and advocacy body Business NSW released its Business Conditions Survey (BCS) in December, which found companies in the state faced a tough lead-up to Christmas due to rising rates.

The study, conducted from November 2 to 17, revealed customers are spending less, pushing for discounts and delaying invoice payments when compared with last year.

Almost half (42 per cent) of businesses surveyed reported fewer purchases, while 37 per cent said average order sizes have shrunk.

Only 18 per cent had seen more frequent purchases.

Mastering These Three Bed Positions at 60+ Indicates Superior Core Strength Compared to Most Peers

Health

NewsFinale Journal

March 19, 2026

Mastering These Three Bed Positions at 60+ Indicates Superior Core Strength Compared to Most Peers

Discover how you can effectively work out your core muscles without even getting out of bed. We consulted with Dr. Tom Walters, a Board-Certified Orthopedic Physical Therapist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, who is also the bestselling author of “Rehab Science: How to Overcome Pain and Heal from Injury.” He shared three key exercises that are excellent indicators of robust core strength, particularly for those over 60.

Dr. Walters explains that core strength often diminishes with age due to factors like sarcopenia, decreased physical activity, and alterations in neuromuscular coordination. “Starting in midlife and becoming more pronounced after 60, there’s a gradual decline in both skeletal muscle mass and strength,” he notes. “Additionally, as people age, they tend to be less active, which reduces the mechanical stress needed to maintain the strength of trunk muscles.”

Functionally, your core acts as a key “stability system” for your pelvis and spine during movement. A decrease in the endurance or strength of your trunk muscles can lead to several issues, affecting your posture, mobility, and balance.

“Core strength tends to decline with age primarily because of sarcopenia, reduced physical activity, and changes in neuromuscular coordination,” explains Dr. Walters. “Beginning in midlife and accelerating after about age 60, skeletal muscle mass and strength gradually decrease. At the same time, people often move less, which further reduces the mechanical loading required to maintain trunk muscle capacity.”

In functional terms, the core serves as a “stability system” for both the pelvis and spine as you move. When the muscles encompassing your trunk lose endurance or strength, several things can happen, impacting your posture, mobility, and balance.

“The trunk plays a major role in controlling the body’s center of mass. Reduced trunk strength or endurance can make it harder to correct small balance disturbances,” Dr. Walters says. “In addition, weakness or poor endurance of trunk muscles can contribute to greater spinal flexion or a forward-leaning posture, particularly during prolonged standing or walking.”

It’s important to note that these changes aren’t inevitable. Dr. Walters says research indicates that the trunk muscles stay very responsive to strength exercises—even among the older adult population.

What Makes Bed-Based Exercises Effective

Young Woman Doing Fitness Exercise In Bed — Shutterstock

Doing exercises from bed can be surprisingly productive because they reduce hurdles that may be holding you back from exercise.

“Many older adults avoid floor exercises due to joint pain, mobility limitations, or difficulty getting down to and up from the floor,” Dr. Walters explains. “From a biomechanical standpoint, bed-based exercises still challenge the core because they require the trunk to stabilize the spine and pelvis against gravity. Even subtle movements, such as lifting the legs or maintaining a stable trunk while the limbs move, can create meaningful activation of abdominal and spinal muscles.”

Supine Dead Bug Hold

In the supine dead bug hold, you will lie flat on your back with your hips and knees bent to roughly 90 degrees while keeping your lower back pressed into the mattress.

“This exercise engages the deep abdominal muscles—particularly the transverse abdominis, trains the core to stabilize while the limbs move, [and] mimics the coordination needed for walking and daily movement,” Dr. Walters says.

Glute Bridge Isometric

In the glute bridge isometric, you’ll lie flat on your back with bent knees and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.

“This exercise activates the posterior chain, including the glutes and spinal extensors, challenges the trunk to stabilize the pelvis, [and] supports posture and walking mechanics,” Dr. Walters tells us.

Side-Lying Plank

In the side-lying plank, you’ll lie on your side with bent knees and support your body on your forearm while lifting the hips slightly off the mattress.

“This exercise targets the obliques and lateral trunk stabilizers, improves side-to-side trunk stability, which is important for balance, [and] addresses a plane of movement often neglected in traditional exercises,” Dr. Walters notes.

Pentagon Seeks $200 Billion for Iran Conflict: White House Deliberates Major Defense Funding Request

NewsFinale Journal

March 19, 2026

Pentagon Seeks $200 Billion for Iran Conflict: White House Deliberates Major Defense Funding Request

The Pentagon has put forward a request for $200 billion to support military operations in Iran as President Trump weighs the option of deploying additional troops to the region.

This move suggests a possible escalation in the conflict, as the United States aims to secure the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid continued bombings.

This funding appeal follows a study revealing that the U.S. has already invested approximately $3.7 billion, averaging $891.4 million daily, over the initial 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury, with costs escalating to $11 billion within the first week.

Sources have informed The Washington Post that the Pentagon has asked the White House to petition Congress for these funds.

It remains uncertain whether the White House will proceed with the request, as some officials within the Trump administration anticipate opposition from Congress.