Washington, United States: US President Donald Trump on Friday requested lawmakers to approve a massive $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027, citing rising costs from the ongoing war with Iran and growing global security commitments.

The proposal would increase Pentagon spending by more than 40 per cent in a single year – the sharpest jump since World War II – as Washington aims to sustain military operations and replenish depleted weapons stockpiles.

Reports from US media, citing closed-door congressional briefings, indicate the Iran war could be costing as much as $2 billion per day, underscoring the enormous financial burden even before factoring in longer-term reconstruction and resupply expenses.

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To offset some of the increase, the administration is proposing roughly $73 billion in cuts to non-defence spending, targeting domestic programs including environmental initiatives, housing assistance, and education funding. White House officials argue these reductions would eliminate what they describe as wasteful spending and shift some responsibilities back to state and local governments.

Trump has framed the defence increase as urgent, stressing that military investment must take priority during wartime, even at the expense of federal social programs.

"It's not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare," Trump said at a recent private event, adding that such responsibilities could be handled at the state level while Washington focuses on "military protection."

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‘Reckless war’ and Congressional battle

The budget outline, released in summary form, is not binding but signals the administration's priorities as Congress begins drafting spending legislation. Lawmakers retain the power to rewrite or reject the plan.

Trump is urging Congress to approve more than $1.1 trillion of the defence budget through the standard appropriations process, while seeking to pass an additional $350 billion using a party-line mechanism that would bypass Democratic support. Republican leaders have shown some openness to this approach, particularly as they push for higher defence and immigration enforcement spending.

However, the plan may face resistance even within Trump’s own party, where some lawmakers are wary of deepening federal deficits. The United States is already running annual shortfalls approaching $2 trillion, with total debt exceeding $39 trillion, leaving limited fiscal space for new spending without further widening the gap.

Lawmakers from both parties have expressed concerns over the scale of the proposed military increase, especially as the administration has provided limited detail on the trajectory of the Iran conflict. There is similar scepticism about the domestic cuts, many of which Congress has previously rejected. Spending bills passed earlier this year largely preserved funding for programs the White House now seeks to reduce or eliminate.

Domestic Programs and Law Enforcement

Beyond defense, the administration is also proposing increased funding for federal law enforcement, including a boost of more than $40 billion for the Justice Department. Even so, analysts warn that enacting the plan in full could add trillions more to the federal debt over the coming decade, highlighting the trade-offs lawmakers face between wartime demands and long-term fiscal pressures.

House Democrats criticised the proposal sharply, "The American people want health care, not warfare. The Trump administration has spent billions on a reckless war with Iran but REFUSES to increase funding for health care," they said in a statement on social media.

"It's heartless, and House Democrats will not stand for it."