America’s trillion-dollar military budget ambition faces critical hurdles as Congress struggles with defense funding timelines and priorities.
At a Glance
- President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth aim for a one-trillion-dollar defense budget by FY 2026
- The current FY 2025 budget falls short of even the Biden administration’s request by over $2.5 billion
- Most budget increases are being consumed by rising personnel costs, leaving modernization efforts underfunded
- Continuing resolutions and delayed appropriations disrupt training, maintenance, and procurement planning
- Congress needs to pass timely defense appropriations bills to enable effective military modernization
The Trillion-Dollar Defense Budget Challenge
The United States military stands at a critical crossroads as the incoming Trump administration sets its sights on an ambitious trillion-dollar defense budget by fiscal year 2026. This target represents a significant increase from current funding levels at a time when America faces growing threats from China, Russia, and other adversaries around the globe. However, reaching this milestone won’t be easy. Current funding trends, flat budgets, and congressional delays in passing appropriations bills threaten to derail these plans before they can get off the ground.
The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act for 2025 increased defense funding by a mere 0.7 percent. When adjusted for inflation and rising personnel costs, this actually amounts to a cut in real terms. The gap between the Pentagon’s stated needs and Congress’s ability or willingness to fund them continues to widen, creating a strategic vulnerability that could impact America’s military readiness and global influence.
Experts warn that modernization efforts, particularly in areas prioritized by the Trump administration such as nuclear modernization, missile defense, and cybersecurity, are significantly underfunded. Without substantial budget increases, military leadership faces increasingly difficult choices between maintaining current readiness and investing in future capabilities needed to counter emerging threats from technologically advanced adversaries.
— Brian BJ (@iamBrianBJ) May 2, 2025
The Impact of Congressional Delays
One of the most significant obstacles to effective military planning and modernization isn’t just the total amount of funding, but the unpredictable way it’s delivered. Continuing resolutions have become the norm rather than the exception in Washington, creating a cycle of uncertainty that ripples throughout the defense establishment. While these stopgap measures provide short-term stability, they severely hamper long-term planning and procurement efforts that are essential for maintaining America’s military edge.
“To fund US military modernization, Congress needs to pass on-time annual defense budgets.”, said Jongsun A. Kim.
The practical consequences of these delays are far-reaching. Military training cycles are disrupted, essential maintenance is deferred, and procurement contracts are delayed or renegotiated at higher costs. The cumulative effect drives up long-term expenses while reducing military readiness and capabilities. Even when omnibus spending bills are eventually passed, they rarely provide the predictability needed for effective defense planning, especially for complex weapons systems that require years of development.
— Palantir (@PalantirTech) March 17, 2025
Balancing Modernization and Personnel Costs
A troubling trend in recent defense budgets shows modernization and procurement accounts decreasing compared to fiscal year 2024 levels. This comes at a time when America’s potential adversaries are investing heavily in next-generation military technologies. The challenge is compounded by the fact that an increasing share of the defense budget is consumed by personnel costs – including salaries, healthcare, and benefits – leaving fewer resources available for equipment modernization.
“One important step Congress can take each year is to pass the annual defense appropriations bill on time, fulfilling its constitutional duty to fund essential government programs and defense functions that serve the national interest.”, said Jongsun A. Kim.
For the Trump administration to achieve its defense priorities, Congress will need to make difficult choices about spending priorities. Nuclear modernization alone represents a substantial long-term investment, as America’s aging nuclear triad – submarines, bombers, and intercontinental ballistic missiles – requires replacement.
Similarly, enhancing missile defense capabilities and strengthening cybersecurity demands sustained funding commitment at a time when the national debt continues to grow and faces increasing scrutiny from fiscal conservatives.
The Path Forward
For America to maintain its military superiority in an increasingly competitive global landscape, military experts argue that Congress must return to a regular appropriations process with predictable timelines. The practice of funding the government through continuing resolutions and last-minute omnibus bills undermines national security by introducing unnecessary uncertainty into defense planning. Military leaders need stable, predictable funding to make smart decisions about force structure, equipment procurement, and readiness investments.
The trillion-dollar defense budget goal set by the incoming administration can only become reality if Congress commits to passing appropriations bills on time and providing adequate resources for both current operations and future modernization efforts. Without this commitment, America risks falling behind in key military technologies just as global competition intensifies. The stakes couldn’t be higher as the decisions made today about defense funding will shape America’s security posture for decades to come.
