OPINION — The United States defense budget for this fiscal year, which ends in September, was roughly $1.1 trillion. For the next budget year, the Trump administration is requesting $1.5 trillion.
Of that, the administration wants $350 billion to be included in a new budget reconciliation maneuver, so it doesn’t require any support from congressional Democrats. The administration also has requested a supplemental appropriation for this budget year of $86 billion, mostly to cover the expenses of the Iran war.
Instead, Congress should put the military on a maintenance budget, at least for the duration of Trump’s presidency.
