President Donald Trump’s proposed military budget would be the biggest in modern U.S. history, but one eye-popping statistic captures just how much money the president wants in 2027.
The proposed budget would boost defense spending to $1.5 trillion, a 44% increase, including requested funds for shipbuilding and new defense systems. But to put it into perspective, if the U.S. military budget in 1945 were adjusted for inflation, Trump would still want to spend $260 billion more than what we spent during World War II, according to writer and researcher Stephen Semler. (RELATED: Even $1.5 Trillion Might Not Be Enough To Fuel Trump’s Pentagon Dreams)
Trump also wants an additional $18.0 billion in Foreign Military Financing for the Department of State, as well as $144.9 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
TOPSHOT – A US Air Force Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber jet lands on the runway, beyond a USAF Rockwell B-1 Lancer bomber jet, at RAF Fairford in south west England on March 9, 2026. Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer has given approval for Washington to use the bases of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in south-west England to bomb Iranian missile sites, after several Gulf countries were targeted by Iranian retaliations. (Photo by Henry NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images)
Supporters of a bigger budget may point to the obvious justifications for dramatic spending increases, such as the Iran War, America’s proxy war against Russia via Ukraine, and the rising threat of China. But perhaps by increasing spending, we are only feeding an inefficient beast that is notorious for wasting money.
There are the $2,500 soap dispensers, $1,300 coffee cups, and a leather chair that cost $9,341. A 2016 Inspector General report revealed that approximately $6.5 trillion vanished into thin air because the Pentagon’s books were riddled with accounting adjustments. The Pentagon, in fact, can’t even pass a basic audit, including its latest review in November 2024. They failed seven straight times.
Why should American taxpayers fork over so much money for a system that has such a feckless disregard for basic accounting practices?
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – APRIL 08: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon on April 08, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. It was announced that a temporary ceasefire has been reached between the U.S., Iran, and Israel, pausing attacks for about two weeks while Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz and negotiations continue toward a longer-term agreement. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
This wasteful and borderline corrupt relationship between defense contractors and the U.S. military persists because, over the years, Congress has rolled over on its back for defense lobbyists and essentially green-lit illegal price-gouging. Defense contractors have all the leverage over the military and inflate costs by 1000x because the U.S. military does not have accurate information. It’s a government-granted monopoly that has snuffed out competitors who might be able to build a better F-15 at a much lower price.
Of course, Americans support the military and our troops. We admire and respect their sacrifices to our country. But we shouldn’t support the defense contractor leeches who are getting rich off a system that provides them infinite taxpayer largesse. We also shouldn’t support the Pentagon blob bureaucrats who enable it.