Pentagon Lays Out Record $1.5 Trillion Budget Request: 6 Takeaways

The $1.5 trillion request seeks to boost shipbuilding, drone technology, and other key defense priorities.

An aerial view of the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on Dec. 15, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The Pentagon, on April 21, shared details about President Donald Trump’s $1.5 trillion military and defense budget for fiscal year 2027.

The new budget request amounts to a 42 percent increase over military spending for fiscal year 2026, which covered approximately $1.03 trillion in defense-related spending. Through this requested leap in funding, the administration is seeking to address several priority areas, including shipbuilding, drone technology, and missile defense.