Trump's Bold Defense Budget: Troop Raises and High-Tech Investments Amid Cutbacks

U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for a defense budget that includes a pay raise for troops alongside investments in advanced technologies such as missiles and drones. This comes as the budget proposal suggests reductions in Navy jobs and a decrease in ship and fighter jet acquisitions to manage expenses, as revealed by new budget materials.

At $892.6 billion, the defense budget request for next year remains constant compared to the current fiscal year. Apart from traditional defense spending, the budget encompasses nuclear activities managed by the Department of Energy and enhances homeland security funding. The administration aims to redirect funds towards deterring Chinese threats in the Indo-Pacific region and boosting the defense industrial sector.

Despite decreased funding for naval and aerial capabilities, defense priorities continue to focus on munitions and strategic weapons systems. The plan further emphasizes small drone investments, drawing from their successful use in Ukraine, as lawmakers debate the broader $150 billion defense package under the expansive "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," already advanced by the House of Representatives to support controversial projects like the Golden Dome missile defense shield.

(With inputs from agencies.)