Trump's 2026 defence budget boosts troop pay, missiles, trims Navy jobs and F-35 orders

U.S. President Donald Trump’s defence and national security budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, released Wednesday, outlines a strategic realignment of priorities—emphasising advanced missile systems, troop pay increases, and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, while reducing procurement of ships, fighter jets, and civilian defence jobs.

The proposed $892.6 billion package remains flat compared to the previous year, with the Pentagon’s share totalling $848.3 billion. Additional funding supports nuclear programmes under the Department of Energy and enhanced homeland security measures.

The White House stated that the budget aims to strengthen the U.S. defence industrial base and counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific. A 3.8% pay raise for military personnel is included, while operational costs are trimmed by retiring outdated platforms such as the A-10 Warthog fleet.

However, significant reductions are also proposed. The Navy would cut 7,286 civilian jobs and limit shipbuilding to only three new warships in this request. Procurement of other vessels, including a Virginia-class submarine and 15 additional ships, will be handled under a separate appropriation bill.

Trump’s request also scales back the number of Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets to 47—down from the 68 requested in President Biden’s 2025 budget. In response, a House draft bill is pushing to increase the F-35 order to 69.

A senior defence official clarified that the Pentagon’s controversial “Golden Dome” missile defence shield was not part of this primary submission but would be addressed separately. That project is receiving an initial $25 billion through the Republican-backed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” already passed by the House.

Despite the cuts in certain areas, the budget reinforces investment in next-generation munitions. The Air Force will continue funding long-range missiles like the JASSM-ER and LRASM, particularly relevant for operations in the Pacific. The proposal, however, reduces orders for the Precision Strike Missile, the successor to the ATACMS system currently used in Ukraine.

Spending on small, tactical drones is set to rise, driven in part by lessons from the Ukraine conflict, where unmanned aerial vehicles have proven both cost-effective and tactically significant.

As Congress debates the broader $150 billion defence package, Trump’s proposal has triggered early discussions over the shape of U.S. military strategy—balancing fiscal restraint, deterrence, and modernisation in a shifting global landscape.

Copied