WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has proposed increased investment in high-tech missiles and drones, along with a pay rise for troops, in next year’s defence budget, according to the budget documents, cited by Reuters news agency.
At the same time, he is also planning to cut Navy jobs and reduce the purchase of ships and fighter jets to save money.
The proposed defence and national security budget stands at $892.6 billion, remaining essentially unchanged from the current year’s level, Reuters reported citing budget documents.
The budget, which also covers nuclear weapons programmes managed by the Department of Energy and boosts homeland security funding, reflects President Trump’s defence priorities by reallocating resources from traditional weaponry and services to his key initiatives.
According to the White House, a significant portion of the funding is intended to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region and to strengthen the defence industrial base.
Notably, most of the funding for Trump’s flagship Golden Dome missile defence system was included in a separate budget request and is not part of the latest proposal submitted to Congress.
In the 2026 budget, Trump sought fewer F-35 jets made by Lockheed Martin LMT.N and only three warships.
The Navy said the procurement of a Virginia-class made by General Dynamics GD.N and Huntington Ingalls Industries HII.N, and 15 other ships, is likely to be included in a separate bill.
The budget also sought a 3.8% pay raise for troops but also cut costs by retiring older weaponry, including ships and planes that are more expensive to use. Under the plan, the Navy will reduce its workforce by 7,286 people, Reuters reported.
In a shift from the previous administration’s plans, President Trump’s fiscal year 2026 budget request calls for the purchase of only 47 F-35 fighter jets, down from the 68 requested by former President Biden for fiscal year 2025.
The proposal has already sparked debate on Capitol Hill. The House Appropriations Committee’s Defence Subcommittee, in its draft bill for FY 2026, has proposed increasing the F-35 procurement to 69 jets—one more than Biden’s original 2025 request.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon continues to prioritise investments in munitions and critical weapons systems.
The US Air Force is maintaining its focus on the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range (JASSM-ER) and the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), both of which offer extended range and are considered highly effective for operations in the Pacific theatre.
In contrast, the budget proposes a significant reduction in funding for the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), the planned replacement for the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), which has been actively used in the conflict in Ukraine.
The budget also increases spending on small drones as they have proved to be highly effective in warfighting.
The US Defence spending usually accounts for about half of the discretionary budget, whereas the rest is allocated for transportation, education, diplomacy, and other departments. – Agencies
