“I have determined that, for the Good of our Country, especially in these very troubled and dangerous times, our Military Budget for the year 2027 should not be $1 Trillion Dollars, but rather $1.5 Trillion Dollars.”
So said President Donald Trump, five days after the extraordinary January 3, 2026 arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro—which the president called “one of the most stunning, effective, and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history.” The raid was proof of concept, in his eyes, of the ends that can be achieved abroad with the United States military, if it were given enough money.
Three months later, the president is putting his money where his mouth is. Last Friday, as the war in Iran continued to rage, Trump made his request official, asking Congress for a record $1.5 trillion defense budget, a 44 percent increase from last year.
