Austin Pushes for Almost $1 Trillion in Defense Spending (1)

Outgoing Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recommended the US government boost defense spending by about $50 billion more than projected in fiscal year 2026 with increases that would push the Pentagon budget past $1 trillion in the years to come.

The recommendation, made in a previously undisclosed Nov. 27 letter to the Office of Management and Budget, offers a path forward with defense-spending caps — imposed under a 2023 debt-limit deal — expiring after fiscal year 2025. The letter was seen by Bloomberg News.

The letter from the departing defense chief may give some political cover to members of Congress to ...