President Trump's Proposed Budget Includes $1.5 Trillion for the Military

In a budget released in early April, President Trump proposed a lot of military spending. The news that Trump wanted to fund the military to the tune of more than a trillion dollars naturally raised some eyebrows, and left some wondering what the budget might mean.

The news that Trump wants to increase spending on the military comes amid an ongoing conflict with Iran, and news that Trump will order the navy to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Here's what we know about Trump's budget, and specifically its proposed military spending.

Trump's budget proposal suggests that spending on the military should increase by 44% all the way up to $1.5 trillion in 2027. The president has been signaling for some time that his plan would be to reduce spending on everything beside the military by 10%, in part so he could fuel the massive increase in military spending. The messaging around the proposal seems to be designed to suggest that this is about keeping Americans safe.

"President Trump promised to reinvest in America's national security infrastructure, to make sure our nation is safe in a dangerous world," wrote Budget Director Russell Vought.

Of course, it's also tied to the fact that Trump has started a conflict in Iran that has helped to justify all of the spending we already do on our armed forces. On the whole, though, the proposal seems to be designed to signal the president's priorities, which are almost entirely about the military.

What's important to note, though, is that the president's budget proposal is just that, a proposal. They are used as a starting point for negotiation, but Congress is ultimately responsible for passing a new budget and funding the government.

That process has become more dysfunctional in the last 20 years, but also means that Trump might not get the $1.5 trillion he's asking for.

Even as they propose spending for the coming year, budget proposals are also designed to signal the current administration's priorities. In addition to the military funding, the budget calls for continued support for the president's immigration enforcement policies, which means chiefly extending funding for ICE and Customs and Border Patrol.

The budget also includes an increase of 13% for the budget of the Department of Justice designed to fight violent crime, as well as $481 million to enhance aviation safety and new funding for national parks. At the same time, the administration has signaled that they will be cutting programs they describe as "woke" including cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and cuts to various green programs.

On the whole, then, this is largely the budget that the president had been signaling he would propose. What's less clear, though, is whether something resembling this document will ever become the operating principles of the government. Congress might not be as strong as it once was, but it's still likely to have a say over the details in this budget, including the eye-popping military spending.