War in Iran costs $29 billion so far. And, students are finally improving in math

Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today's top stories The Pentagon now estimates that the cost of the war with Iran is approximately $29 billion. Top defense officials answered questions from Congress yesterday. That price tag, up from the estimated $25 billion two weeks ago, was one of the specifics mentioned during the day's testimony. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee on the FY2027 budget request in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on May 12, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla/ hide caption toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/ 🎧 Pentagon officials are not including the cost of repairs to U.S. facilities that have been hit by Iran. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, informed NPR's Claudia Grisales that these repairs could add at least another $4 billion to the price tag. The Pentagon plans to ask for supplemental funding on top of all this to pay for the war. Now, more than two months into the war, there has been more GOP frustration over the lack of information coming from the White House, Grisales says. She adds that the war is creating political challenges for Republicans as they prepare to face voters this fall who are dissatisfied with the conflict and are seeing daily reminders in the economy. Dr. …