Trump proposes massive increase in defense spending to $1.5 trillion

President Trump on Wednesday proposed a massive increase in U.S. military spending, calling for $1.5 trillion in fiscal 2027 because the U.S. is facing “troubled and dangerous times.”

“This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us safe and secure, regardless of foe,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social.  

The 2026 military budget is already cemented at $901 billion, meaning Mr. Trump’s record-setting proposal would increase the defense budget by more than 50%. 

Mr. Trump’s so-called Big Beautiful Bill, which he signed into law last summer, gave the military billions in tax breaks and other incentives.

In his Truth Social post, Mr. Trump said he was “comfortable” with increasing the military’s budget by such a large amount because of the money being generated by tariffs. 

“Because of tariffs and the tremendous income that they bring…we are able to easily hit the $1.5 trillion number while at the same time, producing an unparalleled military force and having the ability to, at the same time pay down debt and likewise pay a substantial dividend to moderate income patriots within our county,” the president wrote. 

Tariffs have generated $288.5 billion in revenue, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. That’s an increase over the $98.3 billion the U.S. raised in tariffs in 2024, but not enough to pay for all of Mr. Trump’s lofty promises. 

Mr. Trump’s call for increased defense spending comes days after he ordered the U.S. military to strike Venezuela and capture President Nicolas Maduro. 

Mr. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are currently being held in a Brooklyn jail awaiting narco-terrorism charges. 

Mr. Trump had also recently suggested the U.S. take over the Danish territory of Greenland and said he’s considering military operations in Colombia to combat the flow of illegal drugs.

Proposed defense spending increases will certainly meet resistance from Democrats on Capitol Hill, as well as Republicans concerned about the deficit and overall spending levels.