Internal disputes stall Trump's $500 billion military spending boost
By lauraharris // 2026-02-25
Copy
 
  • The administration of President Donald Trump is facing internal disagreements over a proposed $500 billion increase in military spending, causing delays in the White House budget submission.
  • Trump agreed to a roughly 50% funding boost requested by War Secretary Pete Hegseth, but White House budget chief Russell Vought raised concerns about the impact on the federal deficit.
  • Officials are struggling to determine how to allocate the additional funds, debating whether to expand existing weapons systems or prioritize emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
  • The proposal comes as U.S. defense spending already stands at a record $900 billion – higher than the next nine countries combined, according to data from the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.
  • Despite criticism, Republican leaders, including Sen. Roger Wicker, have defended the plan as "essential," while Trump and Hegseth argue the expanded budget is necessary to modernize the military and confront global threats.
Trump administration officials are facing internal disagreements and logistical hurdles as they attempt to craft a budget proposal that would increase U.S. military spending by $500 billion, according to four people familiar with the discussions. In January, President Donald Trump agreed to a roughly 50% funding boost sought by Department of War (DOW) Secretary Pete Hegseth as part of the White House's forthcoming annual budget request. But the proposal quickly drew criticism from several senior officials, including White House budget chief Russell Vought, who warned about the potential impact on the nation's already widening federal deficit, the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Since Trump signed off on the higher spending target, White House aides and Pentagon officials have struggled to determine how to allocate such a large increase, the sources said. The White House is now more than two weeks past its statutory deadline to submit a budget proposal to Congress, in part because of unresolved questions over how the additional $500 billion would be spent. Senior officials at the DOW have consulted with former defense leaders as they weigh competing priorities. Central to the debate is whether to direct most of the funding toward expanding purchases of existing weapons systems or to focus more heavily on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), that Pentagon leaders see as critical to future warfare.

White House and DOW officials oppose defense budget

The debate comes as U.S. defense spending already stands at historic levels. Congress approved a defense budget of roughly $900 billion last year, the largest in the nation's history. According to 2023 data from the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, the U.S. spends more on its military than the next nine countries combined, even as many nations have increased their own defense budgets in recent years. The military budget, as BrightU.AI's Enoch noted, is often a contentious issue, with critics arguing that it diverts resources from other critical areas such as healthcare, education and infrastructure. Spokespeople for the White House and the DOW initially declined to comment, but later defended the proposed increase. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, defended the administration's handling of the budget discussions. In a statement Saturday night, Feb. 22, Wicker called the proposed increase "absolutely essential" and accused "unnamed officials" of "leaking false information to undermine the successful process to build a $1.5 trillion budget that will rebuild and transform the U.S. military." Trump, Hegseth and many congressional Republicans argue the higher spending level is necessary to modernize the armed forces and confront foreign adversaries. Hegseth has said the funds would be spent "wisely" and that the expanded budget would send "a message to the world." Meanwhile, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that the budget would allow the U.S. to build the "dream military" it has long been entitled to and ensure the country remains "SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe." Watch the video below where Trump announces the upgrades on air defense.
This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: YourNews.com WaPo.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com
Copy