Hegseth Says Proposed $1.5 Trillion Military Budget Is ‘Message to the World’

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon will spend its budget wisely and squeeze ‘everything possible into the best capabilities in the world.’

U.S. Navy Landing Craft Air Cushions unload equipment onto the beach as U.S. Marine Corps V-22 Ospreys and CH-53 Super Stallions fly overhead during the America's Marines 250 event at Camp Pendleton's Red Beach in Oceanside, Calif., on Oct. 18, 2025. Mario Tama/Getty Images

War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Jan. 12 said President Donald Trump’s call for a $1.5 trillion military budget for fiscal year 2027 is a “message to the world.”

Hegseth highlighted ongoing efforts to expand the U.S. military and reform defense production and procurement during a stop in Fort Worth, Texas, on Jan. 12 as part of his multistate Arsenal of Freedom tour.