Trump seeks $1.5 trillion for defense spending in 2027 budget request

President Trump is seeking $1.5 trillion in defense spending as part of the White House’s fiscal 2027 budget request, a roughly 40 percent increase from 2026 funding levels.

The proposal released Friday said a base of $1.1 trillion will be specifically for the Department of Defense, while $350 billion will be requested through Congress’s budget reconciliation process for “critical Administration priorities” like more munitions and defense industrial base expansions. It also mentions the president’s planned “Golden Dome” missile defense system.

The funding request, prepared by White House budget chief Russell Vought, comes as the United States is in the fifth week of its war against Iran. While the president maintains the war will come to an end in the next few weeks, the budget signals an effort for investing in the U.S. military well into the future.

Trump floated the idea of requesting a $1.5 trillion defense budget in January, saying the record-breaking number would be “for the good of the country” and allow the U.S. to “build the ‘Dream Military.’”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the same month the budget would be a “message to the world.”

The budget is essentially a wish list for the White House and is likely to face major pushback in Congress, which ultimately approves funding.

The proposal requests the Department of Justice get a 13 percent budget increase in 2027 to reflect what it describes as the president’s “continued commitment in delivering these tough on crime policies.”

The budget sees a cut of 10 percent, or $73 billion, to nondefense spending, which focuses on cutting spending to housing, community, environmental, health care and other programs the administration has deemed “woke” and by returning some responsibilities to state and local governments.

During his second term, Trump has made beautification around Washington one of his top priorities, and the budget includes a $10 billion mandatory fund to create the “Presidential Capital Stewardship Program” within the National Park Service.

“Once complete, these projects would improve safety and accessibility, rehabilitate historic buildings and landscapes, and enhance architectural grandeur so that Americans can once again be proud of the Nation’s capital,” the budget says.

The administration has also focused on enhancing aviation safety, especially after the fatal midair collision between an American Airlines flight and a Black Hawk helicopter last year, and added a $481 million increase in funding for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Trump has also had his sights set on increasing the nation’s critical minerals to reduce dependence on other countries. The budget includes repurposing money from the Biden-era Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bolster the U.S.’s energy dominance, drive critical mineral production and strengthen nuclear security.

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