Trump asks for 40% hike in military budget to $1.5 trillion next year, adding hundreds of billions to the deficit

Trump asks Congress to supersize military budget, slash domestic programs​

President Donald Trump called Friday for Congress to back a $1.5 trillion defense budget alongside yawning reductions to domestic programs — making official the ambitious military increase he’s been teasing for months.

While calling for a historic increase in the military’s budget, the White House is also seeking a 10 percent cut to nondefense spending, with a proposed reduction of $73 billion from federal programs outside the military.

[If you add ~$400 billion here and cut $73 billion there, that's still a huge addition to the deficit.]

The administration is recommending that Congress eliminate $1.6 billion in research programs run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and asking lawmakers to find $45 million in savings by slashing the Interior Department’s renewable energy programs.

The blueprint, prepared by White House budget chief Russ Vought, proposes the elimination of current fair housing initiatives at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund that awards funding to community banks and other financial institutions that lend to communities traditionally underserved by the banking industry.

It also calls for Congress to zero out funding for the Commerce Department agency that promotes minority-owned businesses and the National Endowment for Democracy, which promotes freedom in countries with authoritarian regimes that threaten U.S. interests.

Trump asks Congress to supersize military budget, slash domestic programs​

[If you add ~$400 billion here and cut $73 billion there, that's still a huge addition to the deficit.]

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White House budget director Vought declines to tell senators cost of Iran war​

Merkley and Vought also sparred at Thursday’s hearing over the White House’s decision not to include a deficit projection for fiscal 2027 in its annual budget proposal.

“I noted that you did not include deficit numbers in your budget even though those are required by law,” Merkley said.

Vought argued that the White House proposal is a “discretionary budget” and “it’s important not to confuse the country” when Congress is still working on budget reconciliation efforts that could impact those deficit numbers.