Trump calls for US military spending to rise more than 50% to $1.5tn

BBC News - WorldEN 2 min read 100% complete January 8, 2026 at 03:15 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Donald Trump has proposed increasing US defense spending to $1.5 trillion by 2027, a more than 50% increase from the current $901 billion budget. He stated the increase is necessary for national security in "troubled and dangerous times." Trump also criticized defense contractors for slow production, excessive executive pay, and prioritizing shareholder payouts over investment in new plants. He specifically called out Raytheon for being unresponsive and threatened to end their contracts if they don't increase investment. The announcement led to a rise in shares for major defense equipment makers. Trump claims the US can afford the increased spending due to revenue from tariffs.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

New York 30% Venezuela 30% Russia 40% Washington 40% Nicolás Maduro (Maduro) 40% Department of War 50% Lockheed Martin 50% Northrop Grumman 50% Congress 60% Raytheon ×470% United States ×780% Donald Trump ×1090%

Keywords

us military spending 100% defense budget 90% donald trump 80% defense contractors 70% military equipment 60% raytheon 50% arms manufacturers 50% geopolitical tensions 40%