Pentagon seeks record $1.5T defense budget, sparking partisan clash

The Pentagon rolled out a $1.5 trillion defense request for next year, a roughly 50% jump to bankroll new programs such as the Navy’s Golden Fleet battleship and an F-47 jet, plus an $18 billion Golden Dome missile-defense system, and a $75 billion push for unmanned weapons. About $350 billion would go through reconciliation, a move Democrats oppose for many items and Republicans warn could be politically tricky; lawmakers remain divided on how to pay for it. The package also includes large missile-replenishment needs and production questions for defense contractors. If enacted, it would be the largest defense request as a share of GDP since the Cold War.