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Trump Proposes $1.5T Military Budget, 50% Increase

Is the $1.5 trillion military budget fiscal insanity that will bankrupt America, or investment essential for national survival?
Trump Proposes $1.5T Military Budget, 50% Increase
Above: An M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle during the Armed Forces Day parade in Warsaw, on Aug. 15, 2025. Image credit: Artur Widak/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The Spin

Anti-Trump narrative

Proposing a $1.5 trillion military budget while America drowns in $38 trillion of debt is fiscal insanity that will bankrupt future generations. Tariff revenue falls billions short of covering this reckless spending increase, and new military endeavors like Venezuela will only deepen the deficit crisis. This massive defense hike prioritizes geopolitical adventurism over fiscal responsibility at precisely the moment when the nation can least afford it.

Pro-Trump narrative

The threat environment hasn't been this dangerous since World War II, making a $1.5 trillion defense budget absolutely essential for national survival. Like the Reagan Buildup that won the Cold War, this generational investment will modernize outdated equipment and deter adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Raising defense spending to 5% of GDP is necessary to maintain American technological leadership and prevent conflict.

Metaculus Prediction


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The Controversies



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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.18.0