Hidden Billions: How the U.S. Military Budget Exceeds Official Figures by Over $1 Trillion
A new report by the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) argues that the true cost of U.S. military spending is significantly higher than official figures suggest. By consolidating funds hidden across 17 other government agencies, the total military budget for fiscal year 2025 reached approximately $1.72 trillion, compared to the $850 billion appropriated to the Department of Defense. President Trump’s proposed 2027 budget could push this total to $2.6 trillion, consuming 75% of discretionary spending. The report highlights that costs for nuclear weapons, veterans' benefits, and the Coast Guard are often excluded from standard Pentagon budget reports, obscuring the full scale of military expenditure from the public.