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President Donald Trump has proposed a significant boost to the military budget for 2027, suggesting an increase to $1.5 trillion. He cites national security imperatives and robust tariff revenues as justification for this ambitious target.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump unveiled his proposal on Truth Social, advocating for the military budget to be elevated from $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion. He credited this shift to “intense negotiations with Senators, Congressmen, Secretaries, and other Political Representatives.” Trump emphasized that this decision was made “in the best interest of our nation, particularly during these challenging and perilous times.”
Trump argued that the proposed budget increase would facilitate the creation of what he called the “Dream Military,” ensuring that the United States remains “SAFE and SECURE, no matter the adversary.” He attributed the feasibility of the expanded budget to substantial tariff revenues, claiming that these “tremendous numbers” make the higher amount feasible. “Thanks to the income generated from tariffs, which was unimaginable in the past, reaching the $1.5 Trillion mark is easily within reach,” Trump stated. He also suggested that this strategy could enable the reduction of national debt and provide a “substantial Dividend” to moderate-income Americans.
In his statement, Trump contrasted this with what he described as the lower expectations under “the Sleepy Joe Biden Administration, the Worst President in the History of our Country!”
The proposal arrives amid ongoing debates over defense spending under both Biden and Trump’s leadership. During President Joe Biden’s tenure, the Department of Defense’s budget has seen gradual increases, reaching $886 billion in the 2024 request. However, these increments have faced criticism from Republicans, who argue that inflation has effectively diminished their value.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has stated that “progressives do want to bring down the military budget” while advocating priorities such as a $15 minimum wage and expanding Medicare, including lowering the eligibility age or pursuing Medicare for All. In 2020, then-candidate Joe Biden faced pressure from more than 50 progressive groups calling for a $200 billion annual reduction in Pentagon spending, an end to nuclear arsenal modernization, and the elimination of the Space Force.
Several members of Congress, such as Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), have criticized Biden’s budgets as insufficient given rising global threats and inflationary pressures. Wicker called the defense budget request “woefully inadequate and disappointing,” saying it “does not even resource [Biden’s] own National Defense Strategy to protect our country from growing threats around the world.” Tenney argued the proposed increase was effectively a cut, stating that “the 3.2% increase doesn’t keep pace with inflation and the cost to refill depleted supplies around the world,” and warned that “our greatest adversaries, China and Russia, continue to ramp up military expenditures, which pose a grave threat to U.S. security at home and abroad.”
In 2022, the Biden Pentagon proposed spending approximately $30.8 million to combat “extremism” in the military, in addition to about $9.1 million in fiscal year 2021 for initial actions. The department did not define what constituted extremism and lacked data on its prevalence within the ranks. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told Breitbart News that “the events of January 6th and the presence of some veterans in that crowd has certainly got everybody’s attention here.” The initiative included screening social media, updating vetting protocols, implementing standardized training and awareness campaigns, and developing an enterprise tracking system for concerning activity.
More recently, a provision in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act introduced by House Republicans banned sex-change procedures and drugs for minors under TRICARE, the military’s healthcare program. Democrats have voiced opposition to the measure, arguing it introduces partisanship into what was traditionally a bipartisan process. The debate has further intensified scrutiny over the direction and use of military funding.
In parallel, the Department of Defense failed its seventh consecutive audit in 2024, unable to fully account for an $824 billion budget. The audit identified 28 material weaknesses and raised concerns about financial accountability. Despite this, senior Pentagon officials claimed progress and argued that the department is moving toward more effective management systems.
