As Military Spending Soars, Advocates Ask Why Ending Homelessness Remains Out of Reach
In recent weeks, the American public has been inundated with messaging suggesting that modern wars can stretch on indefinitely—a theme echoed in statements from Donald Trump and other political leaders. But what if even a fraction of that spending was redirected toward solving crises here at home?
Housing advocates and policy analysts have long pointed out that the cost of addressing homelessness—often estimated in the tens of billions annually—is a fraction of the hundreds of billions the U.S. spends on defense each year.
The U.S. faces a severe and growing homelessness crisis. Crippling poverty combined with a widespread lack of affordable housing drives millions of people into homelessness each year—a stark contradiction in one of the wealthiest nations in the world.
A significant number of people experiencing homelessness are school-aged children, veterans, and people living with disabilities, according to federal housing data. And for every American kindergartner who can’t make it to the bus stop because they lack stable housing, there is a kindergartner in conflict zones around the world who didn’t make it home from school at all.
Across regions, including Gaza, the West Bank, Iran, and Lebanon, humanitarian organizations report that millions of people have been internally displaced by ongoing conflict. While displacement is not always defined the same as homelessness, violent conflict remains one of the primary drivers of global displacement, forcing families from their homes and into prolonged instability.
In conflict zones, airstrikes and explosive weapons have devastated civilian infrastructure, contaminating water systems and leaving countless civilians dead or injured, according to humanitarian and environmental organizations. The cost of these impacts is multifaceted. There is, of course, the ultimate toll of human lives at stake. These impacts also include environmental devastation that fuels our climate crisis.
As war-torn regions expand, millions more people are being forced from their homes, fueling a global displacement crisis that shows no signs of slowing. In Gaza, the scale of that displacement is staggering. Amnesty International reports that nearly 70% of the population—roughly 2.1 million people—has been internally displaced since the escalation of violence, with large areas now designated as evacuation zones or “no-go” areas.
Human rights organizations have raised concerns that repeated displacement and restrictions on movement may contribute to long-term instability and the risk of permanent displacement. Amnesty International has also warned of what it describes as a pattern of forced displacement and worsening humanitarian conditions, noting that such actions may violate international law. The organization further emphasizes that the permanent acquisition of territory by force is prohibited under United Nations standards.
Taken together, these realities point to more than just the immediate toll of conflict—they suggest the potential for long-term, systemic displacement that could leave generations without a stable place to call home.
The Ripple Effects of Displacement and Instability
More displacement means more instability, both nationally and globally. It can lead to expanded immigration enforcement systems, increased surveillance, and growing debates over civil liberties, trends that policy analysts and civil rights organizations have been tracking in recent years. And many advocates warn that these impacts may only scratch the surface.
At the same time, excess military spending, combined with rising gas prices and accelerating inflation, creates a situation in which millions of Americans are forced to choose between paying rent and buying groceries. Skipping meals becomes the norm, and so does something equally concerning: the dehumanization of fellow human beings.
Advocates and researchers have long warned that dehumanizing rhetoric, whether directed at people experiencing homelessness or populations affected by war, can shape public perception and policy in dangerous ways. As governments and media narratives frame certain groups as threats rather than neighbors, that shift in language can influence how societies respond to both homelessness and conflict.
Some analysts and human rights organizations have raised concerns about civilian casualty rates in modern conflicts, though estimates vary widely depending on the source and methodology. Regardless of the exact figures, experts consistently emphasize that civilians bear a disproportionate burden in war.
Where dehumanizing rhetoric takes hold, the consequences can extend far beyond the battlefield, shaping policy, public will, and ultimately, who is seen as worthy of protection. As Dr. Owen Clayton explained in an interview with Invisible People, “othering” is not just language; it is a process that shapes how society sees people and, in turn, how it treats them. That dynamic can directly influence outcomes for the most vulnerable.
Ultimately, these wars are costly. They are costing us our dignity, deficit, and global reputation. They are devaluing the petrodollar and driving up the price of groceries. Some financial experts urge that they are setting the stage for a global reset that will further widen the gap between rich and poor, creating not just a nation but a world of haves and have-nots with nothing in between.
But there’s more. All of the money the U.S. spends on wars could be used to solve homelessness instead. When it was time to bomb school buildings and detonate hospitals and aid workers, we had access to a jaw-dropping $1.6 billion a day. So, why the charade when advocates ask for affordable housing for all?
We Could End U.S. Homelessness Twice with the Projected Iran War Budget Alone
We were told the homeless crisis was completely unsolvable. Scotio financial analysts claim it would cost approximately $11 billion to provide rental housing and assistance for every homeless person in the U.S. The cost to provide permanent housing and services for each homeless person nationwide is estimated to be $30 billion on the high end, a number that sometimes makes the homeless crisis look hopeless.
But it turns out that the U.S. government has access to that kind of spending power.
We’ve already spent the first number, the cost to provide rental housing and assistance to every homeless person in the country, on the first 12 days of the Iran war. Here is a look at what the $16.5 billion Iran war budget went toward in under two weeks, according to Vermont Senator and Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders, which he released in a statement on X:
“Netanyahu led Trump into this horrific & unpopular war,” he tweeted. “Now he doesn’t know how to get out.
Cost so far:
- 1,200+ Iranian civilians killed
- 13 U.S. troops killed
- 3.2 million Iranians displaced
- 773 killed in Lebanon
- 10,000+ Iranians injured
- $16.5B spent in 12 days.”
While Senator Sanders does a succinct job in summarizing the total cost of just the first twelve days of war, reports show the U.S. has provided Israel with approximately $21.7 billion in additional funding to execute what the UN Commission of Inquiry deems a genocide in Gaza, and operations surrounding Venezuela have cost an estimated $31 million per day.
In total, the United States has authorized a military budget of roughly $900 billion for the year, one of the largest in its history. By comparison, housing advocates and policy analysts estimate that addressing homelessness nationwide would cost tens of billions annually, a fraction of that amount.
The contrast is stark. In a society willing to spend so heavily on defense, many advocates argue that we also have the means to provide housing for all.
Choosing Violence Over Human Interests is Financially Irresponsible and Cruel, According to the President Himself
Even President Trump has previously criticized these forever wars as an egregious and wasteful financial endeavor. In a 2019 tweet that made him wildly popular with conservative youth, the President famously condemned the actions he is now taking, stating:
“The United States has spent EIGHT TRILLION DOLLARS fighting and policing in the Middle East. Thousands of our Great Soldiers have died or been badly wounded. Millions of people have died on the other side. GOING INTO THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE WORST DECISION EVER MADE…..”
Ending Homelessness Is a Policy Choice
In a press release summarizing a meeting within the United Nations, UNHCR pointed out that “more than 4.1 million people have been internally displaced in Afghanistan, Iran, Lebanon, and Pakistan since the beginning of the escalation.” More recent estimates suggest that number has continued to rise.
Global homelessness is on the rise, and armed conflicts are a major driver of the unsettling and inhumane trend.
According to polls, the vast majority of Americans oppose the war on Iran and reject the idea of living in a perpetual state of conflict. Our representatives, including the President, are well aware of how unpopular the pro-war position has been polling. Many of these politicians ran on an anti-war ticket and are now backpedaling on their positions and exploiting their power. By doing so, they are increasing global homelessness and poverty in the wake of economic and environmental devastation.
Talk to your representatives about genuinely supporting human rights, rather than simply pretending to do so on the world stage.