President Donald Trump said his administration is preparing to approve a defense budget “in the vicinity” of $1 trillion, calling it the largest in U.S. history and necessary to ensure military strength amid rising global threats.
“We are very cost conscious but the military is something that we have to build and we have to be strong because you have a lot of bad forces out there now,” Trump said Monday during a meeting at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “It will be the biggest one we’ve ever done for the military,” he added.
While the administration has not yet submitted a formal budget request for fiscal year 2026, the president’s remarks confirm the White House is moving ahead with plans for a sharp increase in defense spending, despite the current stopgap funding measure in place. A full budget proposal is expected later this spring.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed Trump’s message in a post on X, writing: “COMING SOON: the first TRILLION dollar @DeptofDefense budget,” he wrote. “President @realDonaldTrump is rebuilding our military — and FAST. (PS: we intend to spend every taxpayer dollar wisely — on lethality and readiness).”
Neither the Pentagon nor the White House responded to additional requests for comment.
Analysts say the budget rollout could come in stages, possibly beginning with a “skinny” budget that includes only topline figures.
The move comes as the Department of Defense is conducting an internal review aimed at reducing approximately $50 billion in annual spending through fiscal year 2026 and beyond. According to multiple reports, the review would shift resources away from legacy programs toward newer priorities, including space, cyber operations, and force readiness.
The Pentagon is also currently planning to cut between 5% and 8% of its civilian workforce, further indicating a broader shift in defense planning under the Trump administration.