washington republican presidential nominee donald trump u.s. military buildup plan would cost hundreds billions dollars apparent strategy defense experts across political spectrum say thursday see kind strategy say william hartung director arm security project center international policy trump say nobody go challenge us strong strategy kind wish-fulfillment u.s. senator jeff sessions top trump backer sit senate arm service committee say proposal base recommendations group national defense panel serve statement trump commitment build military believe lay framework rebuild military represent commitment donald trump make priority sessions say interview presidential leadership really defend need robust national defense go maintain defense budget trump proposal unveil speech wednesday spell would accommodate additional manpower hardware unite state shutter military base purpose large force would employ cost estimate trump propose revenue-raising step budget experts call insufficient call high defense spend without give us number without tell us go pay say lawrence korb former reagan administration pentagon official senior fellow center american progress think tank align obama administration trump democratic opponent nov. election hillary clinton advocate tough defense foreign policies yet take stand size pentagon budget stephen miller trump policy adviser say trump proposal come contrast clinton say military plan trump pledge expand army 540,000 active-duty troop current 480,000 increase marine corps 23 36 battalions many 10,000 marines boost navy 276 350 ship submarine raise air force tactical aircraft 1,100 1,200. trump say number base assessments conservative heritage foundation group heritage say report look capacity need handle two major war determine force-size recommendations trump say would bolster development missile defenses cyber capabilities make mention u.s. nuclear force already midst modernization effort cost estimate trillion 30 years pay buildup trump say would ask congress lift pentagon budget cap fully offset increase cost collect unpaid tax cut appropriations federal program operate without congressional reauthorization crack social welfare fraud fraud collect additional tax fee increase energy production soft-pedal cost write weekly standard conservative magazine tom donnelly defense scholar american enterprise institute think tank oppose trump election praise trump embrace buildup many mainstream republicans advocate however trump undercut power proposals soft-pedal cost buildup write independent cost estimate trump plan range 150 billion additional spend 10 years accord bipartisan committee responsible federal budget much 900 billion period assess todd harrison defense budget analyst center strategic international study think tank harrison say increase could achieve raise federal budget deficit raise tax cut spend benefit program seniors poor none things politically popular say committee responsible federal budget estimate lift cap would cost 450 billion 10 years revenue-generating step propose trump would leave 150 billion amount uncover say another flaw trump plan assumption republican members house representatives belong deficit-fighting tea party movement would agree end budget cap april army chief staff general mark milley tell senate committee add soldier without sufficient budget would disastrous country army base would close program support troop families would curtail make shortfall say navy already launch shipbuilding program raise number vessels 300 2021. trump plan fail account country limit shipbuilding capacity cost man maintain base additional warships propose build whole thing unrealistic say dov zakheim pentagon top financial official former president george w. bush zakheim oppose trump presidency estimate trump plan would boost defense spend roughly 300 billion five years soundbite say trump would spend billions military experts ask