Pentagon Prepares $1.1 Trillion Defense Budget Draft

The Department of Defense is drafting a budget request of $1.1 trillion, a figure that is $400 billion lower than the $1.5 trillion amount President Donald Trump initially requested. Politico reported the news on Thursday, citing a defense industry official, two former officials, and another person familiar with the matter.

The reduction appears tied to the political reality following the midterm elections. One source told Politico, speaking on condition of anonymity, that the Pentagon cannot admit the shift. The new budget relies on a reconciliation process that allows Republican lawmakers to add $350 billion to a base budget of $1.15 trillion.

Pentagon planners are now deciding which programs to prioritize under the lower funding cap. One former official noted that planners do not expect a figure close to the original request. "They are absolutely developing plans [for less], and that is much more the expectation than anything close to $1.5 trillion," the former official said.

The cut may affect the department's ability to rebuild weapons stockpiles depleted during the war with Iran. The Pentagon estimates the cost of that conflict at approximately $47 billion, with $29 billion allocated for critical munitions replacements. The reduced funding could also slow the pace of entering new defense agreements and continuing existing programs.

White House budget director Russell Vought stated earlier this month that the administration has no developed alternatives to fund critical programs if Congress rejects the White House plan. One former official described Republican lawmakers as increasingly angry with the administration on defense spending. "It’s unlikely that anything drastic, a $1.5 trillion budget, would happen," the former official said.