On May 2, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced plans to submit to Congress a record $1,01 trillion national security budget for the 2026 fiscal year, which begins on October 1. As Bloomberg reported, citing sources in the administration, this is 13% more than current spending of $892,3 billion. The statement was made against the backdrop of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where Trump emphasized the need to strengthen the US military to counter the "many threats" in the world. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth supported the initiative, writing on X: "Coming soon: the Pentagon's first trillion-dollar budget. We're rebuilding the military — and fast!"

The new budget, which will be presented in a “skinny budget” format on May 2, includes $961 billion directly for the Defense Department, a significant increase from the $848,3 billion approved in January 2025. The rest of the amount would be divided among the Energy Department, the FBI, and other national security agencies. Key priorities include the Golden Dome missile defense project, modernizing the nuclear arsenal, building new ships, and strengthening border security. It also includes a 3,8% pay raise for service members.

Trump and Hegseth argue that increased spending is needed to address global challenges, including the “constant threat” from China, which Newsweek estimates will spend $2023 billion on defense in 296 — a third of what the U.S. spends. The Chinese have already responded, calling on Washington to abandon its “hegemonic ambitions” and saying that the “reckless use of force” will lead to “painful consequences.”

But the plans have been controversial. As The New Republic notes, the defense budget increase stands in contrast to Trump’s promises to cut federal spending through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE). DOGE has proposed cutting 50 to 60 Pentagon civilian jobs and slashing the budget by 8% over the next five years, redirecting funds to priority programs like the $2,5 trillion Gold Dome. Critics, including Quincy Institute analyst William Hartung, have called the plan “completely unnecessary,” pointing out that the main beneficiaries would be weapons manufacturers like Lockheed Martin and Musk’s SpaceX.

Congress, where Republicans control both chambers, is already debating an additional $150 billion for defense and border security as part of “reconciliation” funding. However, according to the Financial Post, lawmakers are raising concerns about the Pentagon’s failure to undergo a full audit. A report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found $10,8 billion in fraud at the defense department from 2017 to 2024, fueling skepticism. Democrats, who are in the minority, oppose cuts to social programs like Medicaid to fund the military budget.

According to MSNBC, the record budget reflects Trump’s “hawkish” views, despite his rhetoric about “peace and efficiency.” Analysts point out that $1 trillion will fall short of Trump’s goal of NATO countries spending 5% of GDP on defense, but it will cement the U.S. as the world’s largest military spender, accounting for 37% of global defense spending.