Trump Budget: $1.5 Trillion for Defense, 42% Increase

The Trump administration on Friday released a budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year that would sharply increase U.S. defense spending while reducing funding for most other parts of the federal government. The plan, issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), calls for a 42% rise in defense outlays to $1.5 trillion, described as a $445 billion increase from 2026 levels.

Alongside the defense expansion, the proposal sets out a 10% cut across other government programs. It also outlines a $73 billion reduction in non-defense spending, with the document describing targeted programs as “woke, weaponized, and wasteful,” and proposing that some service responsibilities be shifted to state and local governments.

Officials framed the defense increase as a response to current priorities, citing ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the approach of midterm elections. The proposal says the additional defense funding would be used to strengthen U.S. military capabilities, including expanding the defense manufacturing industrial base and financing the Golden Dome, a space-based weapons system intended to intercept incoming strikes.

The plan also includes funding tied to domestic security and deployments. It allocates nearly $1.5 billion for military involvement in U.S.-Mexico border patrols and adds $216 million for National Guard deployments to support civil authority.

On the non-defense side, the proposal lists specific reductions and eliminations. It calls for defunding the National Endowment for Democracy and cutting budgets for the Internal Revenue Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, and NASA; NASA’s funding would be reduced by 23% under the plan.

Democrats signaled firm opposition. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would ensure the proposal’s defeat. The administration’s document is presented as an opening position for negotiations with Congress, and it is not expected to be enacted in full.