Share the Truth
Screenshot any card below and share it. No permission needed. The more people know, the harder it is to ignore. Every stat is sourced from official government reports and peer-reviewed research.
Right-click → Save image, or just screenshot. All stats are sourced and verifiable. Designed for Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook, and anywhere else the truth needs to be heard.
$8.1 Trillion
spent on war since 9/11
That's $24,000 per American — for wars most Americans opposed.
Source: Brown University Costs of War Project, 2024
WARCOSTS.ORG
22 Veterans
die by suicide every day
More veterans have died by suicide since 9/11 than in all post-9/11 combat combined.
Source: VA National Suicide Data Report, 2023
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$1.7 Trillion
F-35 program lifetime cost
More than Australia's entire GDP. For one fighter jet program that still can't fly in the rain.
Source: GAO Selected Acquisition Report, 2024
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750+ Bases
in 80 countries worldwide
The US has more foreign military bases than all other nations combined.
Source: David Vine, "Base Nation" / DoD Base Structure Report
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0 Audits Passed
by the Pentagon — ever
The Department of Defense has failed every audit since they began in 2018. $3.8 trillion in assets unaccounted for.
Source: DoD Office of Inspector General, 2024
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929,000 Dead
in post-9/11 war zones
Including 387,000+ civilians. In wars launched to "protect" civilians.
Source: Brown University Costs of War Project, 2024
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$886 Billion
annual military budget
More than the next 10 countries combined. More than all federal spending on education, housing, and transportation.
Source: Department of Defense FY2025 Budget
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229 of 249 Years
at war since 1776
The United States has been at peace for only ~20 years of its entire existence. War is the default state.
Source: Congressional Research Service, Military Operations Database
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$28,095
spent per second on military
That's $1.7 million per minute. $101 million per hour. $2.4 billion every single day — war or peace.
Source: OMB / DoD Budget Authority FY2025
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469 Interventions
since 1798
Only 11 had formal declarations of war. Congress has been bypassed for 98% of US military operations.
Source: Congressional Research Service R42738
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3.8 Million
indirect deaths from post-9/11 wars
Disease, displacement, starvation, and infrastructure destruction. The uncounted cost of war.
Source: Brown University Costs of War, 2023
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$2.1 Billion
cost of a single B-2 bomber
That's more than the entire Revolutionary War cost in inflation-adjusted dollars. For one airplane.
Source: USAF / GAO Acquisition Reports
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How to Share Effectively
Data changes minds — but only if people see it. Here are platform-specific tips for maximum impact:
Twitter/X
Screenshot the card, crop it tight, and add a one-line comment. Tag #WarCosts for visibility.
The 4:3 aspect ratio works perfectly in-feed. Add to Stories with a "swipe up" or link sticker to warcosts.org.
Share the image with a question: "Did you know?" gets more engagement than statements.
Post to r/dataisbeautiful, r/politics, or r/economics with the source cited in comments.
TikTok
Screenshot multiple cards and create a slideshow. The "scroll reveal" format works well for shocking stats.
Email/Text
Right-click → Save Image As, then attach. Sometimes the most powerful share is a personal one.
Why Sharing Matters
Most Americans don't know the true cost of war. They don't know that the Pentagon has never passed an audit. They don't know that 22 veterans die by suicide every day. They don't know that the US has been at war for 229 of its 249 years.
The defense industry spends $130 million per year on lobbying to keep these numbers hidden behind complex budget documents and patriotic rhetoric. They have lobbyists. The public has data.
Every time you share one of these cards, you're doing what the defense industry fears most: putting the numbers where ordinary people can see them.
Embed on Your Website
Running a blog, news site, or educational resource? You can embed our live war clock or spending counter directly on your page. No API key required.
War Clock Embed
<iframe src="https://warcosts.org/embed/war-clock" width="400" height="200" frameborder="0"></iframe>Embeds a live-updating counter showing US military spending per second.
Iran War Cost Embed
<iframe src="https://warcosts.org/embed/iran-counter" width="400" height="200" frameborder="0"></iframe>Embeds a live counter of Iran War 2026 spending.
For Educators & Journalists
📚 For Classrooms
These stat cards are designed for classroom discussions about government spending, civic responsibility, and the cost of military policy. All data is sourced from official government and academic reports.
- • Pair with our Budget Simulator for interactive learning
- • Use the Tax Receipt Calculator for personal context
- • Download raw data from our Downloads page
📰 For Journalists
All figures are sourced and freely usable with attribution (“Source: WarCosts.org”). We provide high-resolution data, API access, and downloadable datasets for investigative reporting.
- • Raw data: Downloads page
- • Methodology: How we calculate
- • Sources: Complete bibliography
Create Your Own Stat Cards
Want to create custom stat cards for your state, your city, or a specific war? Our interactive tools generate shareable data:
Want to explore more or help spread awareness?