US plans to expand armed forces by 2027, defense secretary says

The United States plans to further increase the size of its military in 2027 as part of a Pentagon reform aimed at addressing recruitment challenges, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a speech to graduates at the West Point military academy in New York.

According to him, the US Army will already grow in size next year, with continued expansion planned afterward, Reuters reports.

Hegseth also stated that the US armed forces have fully met their recruitment target for 2026.

By Jeyhun Aghazada