White House Seeks $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget for 2027 With Sharp Cuts Elsewhere

Overview

• The White House on Friday sent Congress a 2027 request that lifts defense spending to $1.5 trillion, up $445 billion from 2026.
• The plan trims non-defense outlays by about 10% next year, including a $5 billion cut to the National Institutes of Health, and sets aside $152 million to reopen Alcatraz as a high-security facility.
• Officials present the surge as support for ongoing operations against Iran and for rearming the force, with briefings reported to lawmakers citing costs of up to $2 billion per day.
• Democrats have condemned the priorities, and the package faces an uncertain path before the November midterms as some Republicans voice concerns about debt and war authorization.
• The base 2027 request is separate from an expected supplemental of roughly $200 billion for near-term war costs that would come on top of this plan.