The military budget of the United States is the largest portion of the discretionary federal budget allocated to the Department of Defense (DoD), or more broadly, the portion of the budget that goes to any military-related expenditures. It pays the salaries, training, and health care of uniformed and civilian personnel, maintains arms, equipment and facilities, funds operations, and develops and buys new items. The budget funds the six branches of the US military: the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force. Critics contend that recent U.S. defense budgets have disproportionately invested in long-term developmental programs instead of producing weapons systems needed in the near term.
Budget for FY2026 Initially, the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) fiscal year 2026 (FY2026) budget request was $892.6 billion, maintaining near-flat nominal growth compared to FY2025 levels.
However, on 11 June 2025, the House Armed Services Committee advanced the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), proposing a total authorization of $925 billion, including $878.7 billion specifically for the Department of Defense. Debate in Congress focused on aligning resources to counter rising threats, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, while balancing domestic fiscal pressures.
In the end, the overall budget requested by the US military department was $961.6 billion, which included $197.4 billion for the Department of the Army, $292.2 billion for the Department of the Navy, $301.1 billion for the Department of the Air Force and $170.9 billion for defense-wide expenditure.
FY2027 budget proposal In 2026, the Trump administration put forward a proposed United States defense budget for fiscal year 2027 of around $1.5 trillion, marking a noticeable increase compared to previous years. According to official budget documents and reporting by major news outlets, the plan includes expanded funding for naval construction, missile defense systems, artificial intelligence integration, and other advanced military technologies as part of a wider effort to modernize the U.S. armed forces. The proposal has been described as one of the largest defense budget requests in modern U.S. history, with estimates suggesting an increase of roughly 40 percent compared to the previous fiscal year. Analysts say the request reflects a focus on strengthening military capabilities and expanding the defense industrial base amid rising geopolitical tensions. U.S. national security appropriations documents indicate that defense spending also includes security assistance to allies such as Israel within broader congressional funding frameworks.
Budget for FY2025
As of 11 March 2024 the US Department of Defense fiscal year 2025 (FY2025) budget request was $849.8billion. On 20 December 2024 the House approved a Continuing Resolution to fund DoD and DoE operations at the FY2024 levels until 14 March 2025, at which time the Appropriations process for the NDAA is to be revisited by the 119th Congress.United States House of Representatives In Congress Assembled (17 December 2024) Continuing Resolution Further Continuing Appropriations and Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025 On 21 December 2024 the Senate approved the Continuing Resolution for President Biden's signature into law.Katie Lobosco and Tami Luhby, CNN (21 Dec 2024) Here’s what’s in and out of the government funding agreement
Budget for FY2024
As of 10 March 2023 the fiscal year 2024 (FY2024) presidential budget request was $842billion. In January 2023 Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced the US government would hit its $31.4trillion debt ceiling on 19 January 2023; the date on which the US government would no longer be able to use extraordinary measures such as issuance of Treasury securities is estimated to be in June 2023.Victor Reklaitis (17 January 2023) U.S. to hit debt limit Thursday: Here's what that means Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (28 Oct 2022) Q&A: Everything You Should Know About the Debt Ceiling Stephen Collinson (18 Jan 2023) Russia's war in Ukraine reaches a critical moment in power projection in light of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 3 June 2023, the debt ceiling was suspended until 2025. Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 The $886billion National Defense Authorization Act is facing reconciliation of the House and Senate bills after passing both houses 27 July 2023; the conferees have to be chosen, next. As of September 2023, a continuing resolution is needed to prevent a government shutdown.Bryant Harris (13 Sep 2023) Freedom Caucus derails Pentagon spending bill, foreshadowing shutdown 30 Sep 2023 is looming date for shutdown. Sahil Kapur (18 Sep 2023) Far-right Republicans drafted a short-term funding bill with GOP centrists. It’s now at risk of collapse.Reuters (21 Sep 2023) Shutdown looms as US House Republicans again block own spending billReuters (21 Sep 2023) US government shutdown: What closes, what stays open? See Government shutdowns in the United States A shutdown was avoided on 30 September for 45 days (until 17 November 2023),Alexandra Hutzler and Nadine El-Bawab (30 Sep 2023) Government shutdown live updates: House passes 45-day stopgap spending billClare Foran, Haley Talbot, Morgan Rimmer, Annie Grayer, Lauren Fox and Melanie Zanona, CNN (30 Sep 2023) Congress passes stopgap bill to avert shutdown ahead of midnight deadlineRebecca Kheel (15 Nov 2023) Congress Has Plan to Avert Shutdown, But It's About to Make Pentagon Budgeting Even More ComplicatedLeo Shane III (3 Dec 2023) Defense authorization deal expected this week with passage of the NDAA on 14 December 2023.Patricia Zengerle (7 Dec 2023) US lawmakers introduce sweeping defense bill, drop most 'culture war' issues; Patricia Zengerle (13 Dec 2023) US Senate passes mammoth defense policy bill, next up vote in House Bill is nearly 3100 pages, for $886 billion NDAA passed Senate 87-13; Bryant Harris (14 Dec 2023) Congress passed the FY24 defense policy bill: Here's what's inside passed House 310-118; The Senate will next undertake negotiations on supplemental spending for 2024.BURGESS EVERETT, ANTHONY ADRAGNA and JENNIFER HABERKORN (14 Dec 2024) Sinema 'can see the deal' on Ukraine-border as Schumer cuts recessSumanti Sen (8 Jan 2024) US government shutdown: Congressional leaders sign $1.66 trillion government funding deal $1,659 billion= $886.3 billion for defense, $772.7 billion for non-defense A government shutdown was averted on 23 March 2024 with the signing of a $1.2 trillion bill to cover FY2024.Clare Foran (23 Mar 2024) Biden signs government funding billCarl Hulse (18 Jan 2024) Congress Clears Stopgap Spending Bill for Biden, Moving to Avert Shutdown
Budget for FY2023
, the defense department was operating under a continuing resolution, which constrains spending even though DoD has to respond to world events, such as the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine; the FY2023 defense budget request will exceed $773billion, according to the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.Jacqueline Feldscher and Marcus Weisgerber (3 Mar 2022) Russia's Invasion Will Boost 2023 Defense Budget, Top Democrat Says; Rep. Adam Smith: Putin's war "fundamentally altered what our national security posture" needs to be. The president's FY2023 budget request will be in excess of $773billion By 9 March 2022 a bipartisan agreement on a $782billion defense budget had been reached (as part of an overall $1.5trillion budget for FY2022thus avoiding a government shutdown).
As of 4 April 2022 the FY2023 presidential budget request of $773billion included $177.5billion for the Army, $194billion for the Air Force and Space Force, and $230.8billion for the Navy and Marine Corps (up 4.1% from the FY2022 request). As of 12 December 2022 the House and Senate versions of the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act (FY2023 NDAA) were to be $839billion, and $847billion, for the HASC, and SASC respectively, for a compromise $857.9billion top line. By 16 December 2022 the current budget extension resolution will have expired. The President signed the FY2023 Appropriations bill on 23 December 2022.
US military spending in 2021 reached $801billion per year according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Budget for FY2022 In May 2021, the President's defense budget request for FY2022 was $715billion, up $10billion from the $705billion FY2021 request. The total FY2022 defense budget request, including the Department of Energy, was $753billion, up $12billion from FY2021's request.Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) comptroller.defense.gov National Defense Budget Estimates for FY 2021 Green book, 308 pp., cf. Table 1-1 National Defense BudgetLong Range Forecast On 22 July 2021 the Senate Armed Services Committee approved a budget $25billion greater than the President's request.Brendan W. McGarry, CRS (11 Jul 2022) DOD Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE): Overview and Selected Issues for Congress R47178 —describes PPBE's role in DoD Acquisition The National Defense Authorization Act, budgeting $740billion for defense, was signed 27 December 2021.
By military department, the Army's portion of the budget request, $173billion, dropped $3.6billion from the enacted FY2021 budget; the Department of the Navy's portion of the budget request, $211.7billion, rose 1.8% from the enacted FY2021 budget, largely due to a 6% increase for the Marine Corps' restructuring into a littoral combat force (Navy request: $163.9billion, or just 0.6% over FY2021, Marine Corps request: $47.9billion, a 6.2% increase over FY2021); the Air Force's $156.3billion request for FY2022 is a 2.3% increase over FY2021 enacted budget; the Space Force budget of $17.4billion is a 13.1% increase over FY2021 enacted budget. Overseas contingency operations (OCOs) are now replaced by "direct war and enduring costs", which are now migrated into the budget. After the release of the FY2022 budget requests to Congress, the military departments also posted their Unfunded priorities/requirements lists for the Congressional Armed Services Committees.
Budget for FY2021 For FY2021, the Department of Defense's discretionary budget authority was approximately $705.39billion ($705,390,000,000). Mandatory spending of $10.77billion, the Department of Energy and defense-related spending of $37.335billion added up to the total FY2021 Defense budget of $753.5billion. FY2021 was the last year for OCOs as shown by the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) investments for the future are offset by the OCO cuts, and by reduced procurement of legacy materiel.(June 27, 2014) FY 2015 DoD Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) Budget Amendment (Mar 2015) OCO 2016 (Feb 2016) OCO 2017 (May 2017) OCO 2018
Budget summary for FY2021 with projections for FY2022–2025
(Expenditures listed in millions of dollars)