Historic Pentagon budget proposed amid cuts to US programs

President Donald Trump will ask Congress to approve a historic increase in defence spending while simultaneously renewing his campaign to slash domestic programs, Bloomberg reports.

The discretionary budget requests $1.5 trillion for defense, up sharply from the $1 trillion sought for fiscal year 2026. Of this, $1.1 trillion would fund base discretionary operations for the Department of Defense, with an additional $350 billion allocated to support US military operations in Iran.

Nondefence discretionary spending would face a 10% reduction, cutting roughly $73 billion from domestic programs.

The proposal represents the largest single-year increase in US defence spending since World War II and comes as polls show Trump struggling to persuade Americans of the merits of the war in Iran.

“The president’s budget sets up a fierce debate over policies and priorities ahead of November’s critical midterm elections,” analysts noted, highlighting the political stakes for Capitol Hill allies. Lawmakers had previously failed to implement the full range of cuts Trump sought during his first year back in office, and some domestic constituencies have expressed backlash over his aggressive efforts to trim federal bureaucracy.

While Republican lawmakers are unlikely to pursue many of the proposed domestic cuts, the defence increase is expected to gain broader support. Observers say the budget serves as both a roadmap for future funding battles and an indicator of the White House’s economic priorities.

By Vafa Guliyeva