Trump seeks massive $1.5 trillion defence budget amid Iran war

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President Donald Trump on Friday asked Congress to approve a $1.5 trillion defense budget for fiscal year 2027, a proposal that would mark the largest expansion in military spending since World War II. The request, submitted as the US war with Iran enters its fifth week, would lift Pentagon spending by more than 40% in a single year, according to multiple reports.

The White House budget blueprint, released by the Office of Management and Budget, proposes $1.15 trillion in discretionary spending and $350 billion in mandatory resources, bringing total defense funding to $1.5 trillion, as reported by TASS and The Hindu. The Guardian and the Jerusalem Post describe the increase as 42% over the 2026 level, while other outlets, including Al Jazeera, Dawn, Deutsche Welle, and France 24, report a roughly 40% rise. The South China Morning Post and the Jerusalem Post cite a 44% increase.

Coverage Comparison

Reports on the budget proposal are broadly consistent across outlets, though they highlight different aspects. Al Jazeera, BBC World, Deutsche Welle, and The Guardian focus on the scale of the increase and the inclusion of the Golden Dome missile defense system. Dawn and France 24 emphasize the cost of the war with Iran and use more critical language, describing the conflict as a "reckless war." The Jerusalem Post, in its first report, highlights the shipbuilding components and the 44% increase. TASS, the Russian state news agency, frames the budget in terms of nuclear weapons modernization and overall record spending.

The Guardian provides the most detailed breakdown of non-defense cuts, reporting a 23% decrease in NASA funding and a 52% cut for the Environmental Protection Agency. The Jerusalem Post, in a later article, reports that White House budget director Russell Vought said he could not estimate the cost of the war with Iran.

Key Claims

• $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027: The White House has proposed $1.5 trillion in total defense resources for fiscal year 2027, an increase of $445 billion, or 42%, over the 2026 level, as reported by The Guardian, The Hindu, and TASS.

• Largest increase since World War II: Multiple outlets, including BBC World, Al Jazeera, and Dawn, describe the increase as the sharpest since World War II. The Jerusalem Post reports the White House boasted that the funding approaches "historic increases just prior to World War II."

• Golden Dome missile defense system: The proposed budget includes funding for the Golden Dome, a space-based missile defense system, as reported by Al Jazeera, BBC World, Deutsche Welle, The Guardian, and the Jerusalem Post.

• 10% cut in non-defense spending: The administration proposes cutting non-defense spending by $73 billion, or 10%, according to The Guardian, Jerusalem Post, TASS, and others. The cuts target climate, housing, education, and other domestic programs.

• Specific agency cuts: The Guardian reports that NASA would see a 23% decrease in funding and the Environmental Protection Agency a 52% cut.

• Cost of the war with Iran: Several outlets, citing US media and closed-door congressional briefings, report that the Iran war could cost as much as $2 billion per day. However, White House budget director Russell Vought said he could not estimate the cost, according to the Jerusalem Post.

• War funding separate: The $1.5 trillion budget is separate from a $200 billion emergency request for the war with Iran, as reported by Al Jazeera and BBC World.

Perspectives

White House/Administration: The budget request reflects President Trump's stated priority on military spending. In the proposal's preface, Russell Vought said the budget "builds on the President's vision by continuing to constrain non-defense spending and reform the Federal Government." Trump has argued that military investment must take precedence during wartime, saying at a private event that "It's not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare" and that such responsibilities could be handled at the state level while Washington focuses on "military protection."

Democratic lawmakers: Democrats have criticized the proposal. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is quoted by The Guardian as blasting the budget, and Senate Budget Committee member Patty Murray accused Trump of pursuing "reckless foreign wars," according to France 24. Murray said Trump "might be happy to spend more money on bombs in the Middle East than on families here in America."

Congressional oversight: The budget is a non-binding request; Congress has the power to rewrite or reject it. The Jerusalem Post notes that disagreement over spending decisions led to the longest government shutdown in US history. At a House Budget Committee hearing, Vought faced bipartisan criticism over the Pentagon's financial accountability, with lawmakers citing its historic lack of successful audits.