Amid heightened geopolitical tensions and a US-led Iran conflict, the administration said increased defence spending is vital for security, stressing its goal of strengthening military power to ensure peace through strength.

The total year-on-year increase in Pentagon spending would be the largest since World War II. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Trump submitted a $1.5 trillion defense spending request to Congress on April 3 — the largest in US history — paired with $73 billion in domestic cut

Trump submitted a $1.5 trillion defense spending request to Congress on April 3 — the largest in US history — paired with $73 billion in domestic cut

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump asked Congress to enact a $2.2 trillion budget for discretionary programs, seeking a massive increase in defense spending, while also renewing his push for steep cuts to domestic agencies. The 2027 budget proposal released on Friday requests $1.5 trillion for defense, a significant increase over the $1 trillion sought for fiscal year 2026. The new figure includes $1.1 trillion in base discretionary spending for the Department of Defense and another $350 billion in mandatory spending. The Office of Management and Budget is also still reviewing a potential $200 billion Pentagon supplemental package for the current fiscal year that would be on top of Friday’s request as the US carries out its war in Iran. Discretionary non-defense spending would be cut 10%, or about $73 billion, according to the White House. The president’s decision to seek a dramatic rise in the Pentagon’s budget — the largest single-year increase since World War II — comes as polls indicate he’s struggling to…