US President Donald Trump on Friday proposed boosting defense spending to US$1.5 trillion in his budget for next year, the largest such request in decades, reflecting his emphasis on US military investments over domestic programs.
The sizeable increase for the Pentagon, about 44 percent, had been telegraphed by Trump even before the US-led war against Iran. The president’s plan would also reduce spending on nondefense programs by 10 percent.
“President Trump promised to reinvest in America’s national security infrastructure, to make sure our nation is safe in a dangerous world,” US Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought said.
Photo: AP
The president’s annual budget is considered a reflection of the administration’s values and does not carry the force of law. The massive document typically highlights an administration’s priorities, but the US Congress, which handles federal spending issues, is free to reject it and often does.
Trump signaled the military is his priority, setting up a clash ahead in the Congress.
“We’re fighting wars. We can’t take care of day care,” Trump said. “It’s not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare — all these individual things.”
“They can do it on a state basis. You can’t do it on a federal,” he added.
The White House’s priorities include supporting immigration enforcement and deportation operations by eliminating aspects of a refugee resettlement aid program, maintaining US Immigration and Customs Enforcement funds at current year levels and drawing on last year’s increases for the US Department of Homeland Security funds to continue opening detention facilities.
It also plans a 13 percent increase in funding for the US Department of Justice to focus on violent criminals and the president’s promise to stop what the White House calls migrant crime, as well as a US$10 billion fund within the National Park Service for “construction and beautification” projects in Washington.
The White House wants a US$481 million increase in funding to enhance aviation safety and support an air traffic controller hiring surge.
As for cuts, it aims to cancel more than US$15 billion from the bipartisan infrastructure law, including funds for renewable energy projects and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration grants.
The White House also wants a 19 percent cut for the US Department of Agriculture, a 13 percent cut for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and about a 12 percent decrease to the Health and Human Services department, including cuts to a low-income heating assistance program.
The Trump administration is counting on its allies in the Republican-led Congress to push part of president’s beefed up defense spending through its own budget process, as it was able to do last year.
It suggests US$1.1 trillion for defense would come through the regular appropriations process, which typically requires support from both parties for approval, while US$350 billion would go in the budget reconciliation process that Republicans could accomplish on their own through party-line majority votes.
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