United States President Donald Trump proposed a $1.5 trillion military budget for 2027 on Wednesday, a sharp increase from this year’s $901 billion, fuelling concerns about the potential eruption of wars.
“After long and difficult negotiations with senators, members of parliament, secretaries, and other political representatives, I have determined that, for the good of our country, especially in these very troubled and dangerous times, our military budget for the year 2027 should not be $1 trillion, but rather $1.5 trillion,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us safe and secure, regardless of foe,” he said.
Trump also claimed that the “tremendous income” brought in by tariffs would make the new figure possible.
Journalist and political commentator Tucker Carlson said in his latest show that the budget is “not a peacekeeping budget” but “a big war budget”.
“Obviously, that is the kind of budget that a country that anticipates a global or regional war has for its military,” Carlson said.
“It is fair to expect and all the signs suggest that we are going to have a big war soon,” he said.
“Hope it does not happen, but obviously we are moving in that direction towards a world war.”
Trump’s announcement came just a few days after the raid on Venezuela, seizing the country’s President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
Last month, the Senate approved a House-passed $901 billion defence policy bill, known as the National Defence Authorisation Act for Fiscal Year 2026, which was quickly signed by Trump. His latest proposal will also need congressional approval.
The United States has spent far more on its military than any other country in recent years, both in absolute terms and as a proportion of global military expenditures.
– Xinhua
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