Democrats who now hold solid majorities in both chambers of Congress have pledged to block President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget. The request implies a 44 percent increase in military spending over the prior fiscal year. The pledge followed Republican defeat in the midterm elections held on Tuesday 3 November 2026.
Democrats signal a smaller figure
Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington and incoming chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said the country needs a more realistic approach to national security. He said it should not require a defense budget above $1 trillion, nor be paid for through severe cuts to essential domestic programs. A source said Democrats are inclined to approve about $1 trillion, but that both sides remain far from agreement.
Todd Harrison of the American Enterprise Institute described approval of defense policy as a heads-or-tails situation. Some in the opposition favour passing only one more stopgap measure before year-end.
Stopgap funding and markets
Fiscal year 2027 began on 1 October under a stopgap measure valid until 11 December. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is isolated in Congress and faces growing impeachment pressure. Shares of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman fell during the week, according to Bloomberg.
The defense fight now runs through the lame-duck period. Any deal has to clear a Congress that has changed hands.
