White House proposes record $1.5 trillion defense budget

The White House has sent lawmakers a spending proposal that envisages a record $1.5 trillion defense budget for next year, as the country faces rising costs due to the war with Iran, Breaking Defense reports, quoted by Focus.

''This is the first time in history that base defense budget spending has reached the trillion-dollar mark'', the publication notes.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that while the country is at war, it has no money for kindergartens. Trump noted that the United States ''can't take care of children'', but ''must take care of military defense''.

The new military budget allocates $760 billion for the purchase and development of weapons. Part of this funding will be allocated to programs related to Trump's project - ''Golden Dome''.

According to American experts, ''the main topic''' of the budget is ''a shift from a strategy focused on maintaining the status quo to one that invests in expanding the industrial base and fostering innovation''.

The Pentagon is requesting funding for 18 combat ships and 16 non-combat vessels within the budget. The Navy plans to fund the construction of a total of 123 ships.

As for aircraft, the US Department of Defense wants to acquire 85 F-35 fighter jets in 2027. In fiscal year 2026, the department plans to purchase only 47 fighters. Funding is also being sought to fund the development of the next-generation F-47 fighter jet.

Inside Defense notes that if the White House were to secure $1.5 trillion in funding through 2027, ''this would increase military spending by 44 percent'' and ''exceed Reagan-era levels''.

However, the Pentagon's demands could face resistance in Congress. Some Republicans and Democrats disagree with the increase in defense spending.