Trump proposes massive increase in 2027 defense spending to $1.5T, citing ‘dangerous times’
Jan 7, 2026, 1:46 PM
President Donald Trump speaks to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday proposed setting military spending at $1.5 trillion in 2027, citing “troubled and dangerous times.”
Trump called for the massive surge in spending days after he ordered a U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and spirit him out of the country to face drug trafficking charges in the United States. U.S. forces continue to mass in the Caribbean Sea.
The 2026 military budget is set at $901 billion.
Trump in recent days has also called for taking over the Danish territory of Greenland for national security reasons and has suggested he’s open to carrying out military operations in Colombia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ominously warned that longtime adversary Cuba “is in trouble.”
“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,” Trump said in a posting on Truth Social announcing his proposal. He added that he feels comfortable surging spending on the military because of increased revenue created by his administration through tariffs imposed on friends and foes around the globe since his return to office.
