The Trump administration has unveiled its 2027 budget proposal, which includes a significant increase in defense spending and cuts for most national agencies. This maneuver could facilitate the approval of spending in Congress through the budget reconciliation process and avoid a blockage by Democrats in the Senate. Domestically, the budget includes an increase of $28.5 billion for immigration law enforcement, an additional $4.7 billion for the Department of Justice, and $10 billion for beautification projects in the capital. However, most national agencies will face cuts. President Donald Trump urged Congress to approve a $2.2 trillion budget for discretionary programs, significantly increasing defense spending while renewing his push for cuts to national agencies. The proposed 2027 budget, published on Friday, requests $1.5 trillion for defense, a figure higher than the $1 trillion requested for the 2026 fiscal year. "If Republicans decide to support this budget, they will be like Thelma and Louise and will follow the same political fate as Donald Trump to the cliff," a critic stated. The proposed increase in discretionary spending by Trump could worsen the U.S. annual budget deficit. This amount includes $1.1 trillion in basic discretionary spending for the Department of Defense and another $350 billion in mandatory spending. The Office of Management and Budget is also reviewing a potential supplementary package of $200 billion for the Pentagon for the current fiscal year, which would be added to Friday's request, amid the war the United States is fighting in Iran. According to the White House, non-defense discretionary spending would be reduced by 10%, equivalent to about $73 billion. "President Trump promised to reinvest in the national security infrastructure of the United States to guarantee the security of our nation in a dangerous world," said White House Budget Director Russell Vought in a message accompanying the plan. Unlike previous practices, the budget does not include 10-year projections on the plan's impact on future deficits, with publication expected later this year. This is partly because the document does not account for spending on social benefits like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, the main drivers of future deficits. The White House budget includes $65.8 billion for naval construction, the acquisition of 85 new Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets, and pay raises for troops. Enlisted personnel up to the rank of Army sergeant will receive a 7% increase, while senior officers will get a 5% raise. The plan allocates $350 billion in mandatory defense spending for the next year, as part of a strategy to shift more resources from the discretionary budget to the mandatory one. Overall, the budget opens a debate on policies and priorities heading into the November midterm elections. "Donald Trump's budget is rotten to the core, and Democrats will make sure it is never approved," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. "The 2027 budget will fulfill this promise and ensure that the United States continues to maintain the most powerful and capable military forces in the world." The president's decision to request an increase in the Pentagon's budget—the largest annual increase since World War II—comes at a time when polls reflect difficulties in convincing the public about the war in Iran. Democrats oppose Trump's budget: 'It's rotten'. The proposal also pressures Trump's allies on Capitol Hill, after lawmakers failed to approve all the cuts he sought in his first year back in office, and amid voter rejection of his efforts to reduce bureaucracy. The Department of Education will face a 2.9% cut, which the document defines as "a path to elimination." The budget also continues attempts to dismantle the previous administration's environmental agenda. It proposes canceling $15 billion in renewable energy and clean air programs and redirecting resources toward fossil fuel infrastructure and high-energy-consuming AI supercomputers for the Department of Energy. Additionally, it proposes cuts to programs for vulnerable populations, such as subsidies for the homeless, heating assistance, and funds for medical research. Despite the Supreme Court's February decision that overturned the use of emergency powers to impose global tariffs, the budget estimates tariff revenues of $464 billion in 2027, a 138% increase from last year. The document does not mention the $2,000 "tariff dividend" that Trump proposed for taxpayers, leaving its future uncertain. The Departments of the Interior, Housing and Urban Development, and Health and Human Services will face cuts of around 13%.
