Trump’s $1.5 Trillion Defense Plan Draws Rare GOP Pushback

Key congressional Republicans are poised to break with Donald Trump on his proposed 44% raise for the Pentagon, a rare act of defiance that signals the president’s weakening grip on Washington as the midterm elections near and he quickly approaches the back half of his second term.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will head to Congress Wednesday and Thursday to defend Trump’s hoped-for $1.5 trillion defense budget, a number that’s already facing pushback from members of both political parties.

With just six months until the midterms, Republicans are trying to sharpen their economic message and appeal to voters predominantly concerned about ...