Lawmakers are reacting after the Trump administration sent Congress a request that could push U.S. military spending to historic levels as the war with Iran intensifies.
The White House’s budget request asks for $1.5 trillion for the Pentagon for 2027 — more than a 40% increase from the current fiscal year — while proposing a 10% cut to non‑defense spending. The administration has also signaled it will seek a supplemental package from Congress to cover costs of the Iran conflict.
President Trump spent time behind closed doors with his national security team as the situation in Iran escalated. In recent remarks he extended a Friday deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to Monday night and suggested the U.S. could reopen the strait “with a little more time.” Major Garrett, speaking on the situation, said the president appeared to be “looking for a way out,” noting the war “has not gone the way they thought.”
Democrats on Capitol Hill, frustrated with how the administration has used military force, have renewed pressure to rein in the war and to reassert congressional authority over war powers and funding. Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin told CBS that Congress will need to “return to constitutional government, both in terms of congressional exercise of the War Powers and in terms of congressional control over the purse.”
Some Republicans are skeptical as well. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins of Maine said the White House request had “several shortcomings” and expressed concern about the proposed cuts to domestic programs, adding that “while the Administration proposes a budget, Congress holds the power of the purse.”
If approved, the Pentagon request would fund projects including the construction of 18 new Navy warships and troop pay raises, among other priorities. The White House has framed the request as necessary to meet escalating military needs amid the Iran conflict; lawmakers say they will scrutinize the proposal as they weigh both oversight of the war and broader budget priorities.