U.S. President Donald Trump is proposing a defense budget of $892.6 billion for 2026—matching this year’s total—but shifting priorities toward advanced drones, high-tech missiles, and troop pay raises, while cutting back on Navy personnel, warships, and fighter jets.
The proposal includes a 3.8 percent pay raise for military personnel and increased funding for nuclear programs under the Department of Energy and homeland security initiatives.
To help fund these priorities, the budget slashes Navy civilian jobs by 7,286, reduces the number of F-35 fighter jets requested to 47 (down from 68 in 2025), and limits the Navy’s ship purchases to just three new vessels — a significant drop from previous years, according to Reuters.
The White House said the budget realignment is meant to counter China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific and to rebuild the U.S. defense industrial base. Much of the funding for Trump’s proposed “Gold Dome” missile shield was submitted in a separate request.
Drawing from battlefield lessons in Ukraine, the budget notably boosts spending on small, cost-effective drones, which have proven their strategic value in modern warfare.
While defense traditionally makes up about half of the U.S. discretionary budget, Trump’s 2026 plan reflects a pivot toward leaner, technology-driven warfare, reshaping the Pentagon’s spending to emphasize future capabilities over traditional firepower.
