President Donald Trump is calling for a budget effort that corresponds to a more than 40% increase in the US defense budget. The request has been submitted to Congress.
Donald Trump reiterates: the United States military is the most powerful in the world. He believes his first term has greatly contributed to this success and that is why, according to him, Americans are also imperial in their war against Iran. So there is no question of easing this effort. He intends to invest heavily in the US military. The White House is therefore presenting to Congress a budget of $1.5 trillion to finance the country’s defense next year, an amount close to the total of all French public expenses each year and 20 times higher than the French Defense budget. It also represents an increase of around 42% compared to this year’s US defense budget.
Not everything is detailed, but the Trump administration intends to modernize the US military. It also wants to replenish ammunition stocks as the war against Iran continues. An important point: these $1.5 trillion have nothing to do with the $200 billion budget increase that should be presented to Congress soon to support the current war effort. Obviously, everything is a matter of choices as the United States are considerably in debt. The Trump administration is ready to increase the deficit but also wants to show that it is making efforts. Many projects and programs will therefore face significant cuts to finance defense.
Donald Trump presented his project very clearly this week during an Easter lunch at the White House on Wednesday, April 1. “We are at war. We cannot take care of child care. We have to let the states take care of it and pay for it by increasing their taxes. It is not possible for us to take care of child care. Medicaid, Medicare… These individual things must be done at the state level, not at the federal level.” Medicaid and Medicare are health insurance programs, the first for the less privileged, the second for seniors and disabled people. The message is clear: priority to defense, national security, social protection takes a back seat.
“We have to take care of one thing: military protection. We must defend our country.”
Donald Trump, President of the United States
The budget project presented on Friday fits into this logic: -10% for non-military spending, $73 billion in savings are planned in health, social, housing, education, and climate change. Everything related to gender issues or racial or sexual discrimination is also being questioned. On the other hand, border protection, operations to deport illegal immigrants will be better funded. Another emblematic example: $152 million is requested to renovate and reopen the famous Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay, which is to become a maximum security center once again.
But the obstacle of Congress will have to be overcome. And this is only the beginning of the legislative battle: Democrats are already strongly opposed to this budget project. They consider these military expenses excessive at a time when Americans are concerned about their purchasing power. The debates will start in the middle of the campaign for the midterm elections in November. Even if Republican lawmakers are generally obedient to the White House, they could contest budget cuts that affect their states and may be sensitive to voters’ concerns about the cost of living. This massive military budget has not yet been voted on.
