The White House sent a spending proposal to lawmakers on Friday (April 3, 2026) calling for a massive $1.5 trillion U.S. defence budget next year as it faces increased costs due to the war in Iran.
The total year-on-year increase in Pentagon spending would be the largest since World War II, U.S. media reported, although presidential budgets are wish lists that have to be approved by Congress, rather than binding orders.
โThe budget builds upon the historic $1 trillion overall defence topline for 2026 and requests $1.5 trillion in total budgetary resources for 2027,โ the document reads. โThis is a $445 billion, or 42%, increase from the 2026 total resource level.โ
U.S. โPresident โ Donald Trump on Friday (April 3, 2026) requested a โ10% cut in โnon-defence, discretionary โspending โ for the โ 2027 fiscal year and an โincrease to โdefence spending by $500 billion, according to โa White โHouse budget document.
(With inputs from AFP, Reuters)