WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump is seeking what he called a “historic” increase in defense spending, but ran into immediate opposition from Republicans in Congress who must approve his plan and said it was not enough to meet the military’s needs.

The proposed rise in the Pentagon budget to $603 billion comes as the United States has wound down major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and remains the world’s strongest military power.

The plan came under fire from Democratic lawmakers, who said cuts being proposed to pay for the additional military spending would cripple important domestic programs such as environmental protection and education.

A White House budget official, who outlined the plan on a conference call with reporters, said the administration would propose “increasing defense by $54 billion or 10 percent.” That represents the magnitude of the increase over budget caps Congress put in place in 2011.

But Mick Mulvaney, the White House budget director, said the plan would bring the Pentagon’s budget to $603 billion in total, just 3 percent more than the $584 billion the agency spent in the most recent fiscal year, which ended on Sept. 30, 2016.

The rise would be slightly higher than the country’s current 2.5 percent rate of inflation.

“President Trump intends to submit a defense budget that is a mere 3 percent above President (Barack) Obama’s defense budget, which has left our military underfunded, undersized, and unready to confront threats to our national security,” John McCain, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement.

The defense boost would be balanced by slashing the same amount from non-defense spending, including a large reduction in foreign aid, the White House budget official said.

Trump does not have the final say on federal spending. His plan for the military is part of a budget proposal to Congress, which, although it is controlled by his fellow Republicans, will not necessarily follow his plans. Budget negotiations with lawmakers can take months.

McCain told reporters he would not vote for a budget with the slight military increase and thought it would face opposition in the Senate.

Trump told state governors at the White House his budget plan included a “historic increase in defense spending to rebuild the depleted military of the United States of America.”

He said his proposal was a “landmark event” and would send a message of “American strength, security and resolve” to other countries.

Related Coverage Key lawmaker calls Trump defense budget request low

BIG CUTS TO STATE DEPARTMENT

Officials familiar with Trump’s budget blueprint said the plan would call for cuts to agencies including the State Department and the Environmental Protection Agency.

One official familiar with discussions over State’s budget said the agency could see spending cut by as much as 30 percent, which would force a major department restructuring and elimination of programs.

The United States spends about $50 billion annually on the State Department and foreign assistance.

More than 120 retired U.S. generals and admirals urged Congress on Monday to fully fund U.S. diplomacy and foreign aid, saying such programs “are critical to keeping America safe.”

Trump has vowed to spare middle-class social programs such as Social Security and Medicare from any cuts.

Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, said Trump’s plan to slash funding for federal agencies to free up money for the Pentagon showed he was not putting American working families first.

“A $54 billion cut will do far-reaching and long-lasting damage to our ability to meet the needs of the American people and win the jobs of the future,” Pelosi said. “The president is surrendering America’s leadership in innovation, education, science and clean energy.”

SHORING UP ‘CHOKE POINTS’

An official familiar with the proposal said Trump’s request for the Pentagon included more money for shipbuilding, military aircraft and establishing “a more robust presence in key international waterways and choke points” such as the Strait of Hormuz and South China Sea.

That could put Washington at odds with Iran and China. The United States already has the world’s most powerful fighting force and it spends far more than any other country on defense.

About one-sixth of the federal budget goes to military spending.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Governor's Dinner in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 26, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

Trump has said previously he would expand the Army to 540,000 active-duty troops from its current 480,000, increase the Marine Corps to 36 battalions from 23 – or as many as 10,000 more Marines – boost the Navy to 350 ships and submarines from 276, and raise the number of Air Force tactical aircraft to 1,200 from 1,100.

He has not said where he would place the extra hardware and forces or made clear what they would be used for. The United States has been shutting some of its military bases in recent years.

Trump has also said he would bolster the development of missile defenses and cyber capabilities. Last week, he told Reuters the United States had “fallen behind on nuclear weapon capacity.” He pledged to ensure that “we’re going to be at the top of the pack.”</s>Proposal, which could entail big cuts in foreign aid and spending on domestic agencies, to fulfil key campaign promise.

Donald Trump has reportedly proposed an increase in the 2018 US defence budget by $54bn, while imposing funding cuts to other domestic programmes and foreign aid.

Administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity at the White House's insistence, spoke about the bid to boost military spending by about 10 percent on Monday, the same day that Trump promised a "historic" increase in the defence budget.

"This budget follows through on my promise on keeping Americans safe ... It will include a historic increase in budget spending," Trump said as he met state governors at the White House.

The Pentagon's budget increase would fulfil a Trump campaign promise to build up the military.

A senior budget office official said there will be a large reduction in foreign aid and that most domestic agencies will have to absorb cuts, without offering more details.

Tentative proposals for the 2018 budget year that begins on October 1 are being sent to agencies, which will have a chance to propose changes to the cuts as part of a longstanding tradition at the budget office.

Trump's budget, once finalised and sent to Congress in mid-March, is expected to set off a major political debate in Washington DC.

Democrats and some Republicans are certain to resist the cuts to domestic agencies, and any legislation to implement them would have to overcome a filibuster threat by Senate Democrats.

According to an administration official, Trump's budget also will not make significant changes to Social Security or Medicare.

Capitol Hill aides confirmed details of the upcoming blueprint on the condition of anonymity to discuss information that has not yet been made public.

Trump's first major initiative will land in the agencies one day before his first address to a joint session of Congress.

For Trump, the primetime speech is an opportunity to refocus his young presidency on the core economic issues that were a centerpiece of his White House run.</s>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Donald Trump’s upcoming budget will propose a whopping $54 billion increase in defense spending and impose corresponding cuts to domestic programs and foreign aid. The result is that Trump’s initial budget wouldn’t dent budget deficits projected to run about $500 billion.

White House budget officials outlined the information during a telephone call with reporters given on condition of anonymity. The budget officials on the call ignored requests to put the briefing on the record, even though Trump on Friday decried the use of anonymous sources by the media.

Trump’s defense budget and spending levels for domestic agency operating budgets will be revealed in a partial submission to Congress next month, with proposals on taxes and other programs coming later.

The big, approximately 10 percent increase for the Pentagon would fulfill a Trump campaign promise to build up the military. The senior budget office official said there will be a large reduction in foreign aid and that most domestic agencies will have to absorb cuts. He did not offer details, but the administration is likely to go after longtime Republican targets like the Environmental Protection Agency.

Tentative proposals for the 2018 budget year that begins Oct. 1 are being sent to agencies, which will have a chance to propose changes to the cuts as part of a longstanding tradition at the budget office.

Trump’s budget, once finalized and sent to Congress in mid-March, is sure to set off a huge Washington battle. Democrats and some Republicans are certain to resist the cuts to domestic agencies, and any legislation to implement them would have to overcome a filibuster threat by Senate Democrats. A government shutdown is a real possibility.

Trump’s budget also won’t make significant changes to Social Security or Medicare, according to an administration official.

Capitol Hill aides confirmed details of the upcoming blueprint on the condition of anonymity to discuss information that’s not yet been made public.

Trump’s first major fiscal marker will land in the agencies one day before his first address to a joint session of Congress. For Trump, the primetime speech is an opportunity to refocus his young presidency on the core economic issues that were a centerpiece of his White House run.

The upcoming submission covers the budget year starting on Oct. 1. But first there’s an April 28 deadline to finish up the unfinished spending bills for the ongoing 2017 budget year, which is almost half over, and any stumble or protracted battle could risk a government shutdown then as well.

The March release is also expected to include an immediate infusion of 2017 cash for the Pentagon that’s expected to register about $20 billion or so and contain the first wave of funding for Trump’s promised border wall and other initiatives like hiring immigration agents.

The president previewed a boost in military spending during a speech Friday to conservative activists, pledging “one of the greatest build-ups in American history.”

“We will be substantially upgrading all of our military, all of our military, offensive, defensive, everything, bigger and better and stronger than ever before,” he said.

In an interview with Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said cuts to Social Security and Medicare would not be part of the administration’s first budget. Trump’s priority is passing legislation to reduce middle-class and corporate taxes, he said.

As a candidate, Trump promised to leave major entitlements untouched, breaking with some Republican leaders who believe the costly programs need to be reformed.

The White House budget office issued a statement confirming that an interim budget submission will be released in mid-March but declining to comment on an “internal discussion.”

“The president and his Cabinet are working collaboratively to create a budget that keeps the president’s promises to secure the country and restore fiscal sanity to how we spend American taxpayers’ money,” said Office of Management and Budget spokesman John Czwartacki.

Czwartacki said that the March submission would only address agency operating budgets funded by Congress and that proposals on tax reform and so-called mandatory programs — they include food stamps, student loans, health programs and farm subsidies — will be released later.

By increasing defense and leaving Medicare and Social Security untouched, the Trump final budget plan is sure to project sizable deficits. In the campaign Trump promised huge tax cuts but top GOP leaders like House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin don’t want this year’s tax reform drive to add to the budget deficit.

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>> back to WFLA.com for more top stories</s>Trump administration officials are previewing details of the president's first budget blueprint that is expected to include a boost in defense spending offset by cutbacks to foreign aid and other "lower priority" programs.

Two Office of Management and Budget officials said in a conference call with reporters today that the "passback budget" being sent for Congress' review will be seen as a “security budget,” with a proposed increase of $54 billion in defense spending.

The officials reiterated this was merely a “first draft” and shell of what the administration will send Congress in its formal budget request next month.

During a drop-by of the National Governors Association meeting today, President Trump said the budget will include "an historic increase in defense spending."

“This budget will be a public safety and national security budget,” Trump said. “Very much based on those two with plenty of other things but very strong."

The two OMB officials, who were authorized by the White House to request anonymity in their briefing of reporters, did not say which departments would feel the brunt of these cuts, though they said “there will be a large reduction in foreign aid” in keeping with Trump’s campaign promises.

When it was pointed out by a reporter on the call that foreign aid amounts to less than 1 percent of spending by the U.S., the officials said the proposed reduction should still be praised for putting Americans first.

"This budget expects the rest of the world to step up in some of the programs this country has been so generous in funding in the past," one OMB official said.

The officials also did not specify what specifically the increase in defense spending would pay for, instead saying that the money would be sent to the Pentagon for them to allocate.

Trump also said in his remarks to the NGA that the budget includes an increase in “all spending for federal law enforcement.”</s>WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump’s upcoming budget will ask for $54 billion increase in defense budget.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.</s>The White House says President Donald Trump's upcoming budget will propose a whopping $54 billion increase in defense spending and impose corresponding cuts to domestic programs and foreign aid.

White House budget officials outlined the information during a telephone call with reporters given on condition of anonymity. The budget officials on the call ignored requests to put the briefing on the record, even though Trump decried on Friday the use of anonymous sources by the media.

Trump's defense budget and spending levels for domestic agency operating budgets will be revealed in a partial submission to Congress next month, with proposals on taxes and other programs coming later.

The approximately 10 percent increase for the Pentagon would fulfill a Trump campaign promise to build up the military. One official said there will be a reduction in foreign aid and that most domestic agencies will face cuts.</s>President Trump revealed Monday he plans to hike defense spending by 10% or $54 billion as part of his first budget proposal.</s>WASHINGTON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump is seeking what he called a "historic" increase in military spending of more than 9 percent, a huge rise even as the United States has wound down major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and remains the world's strongest military power.

Trump will seek to boost Pentagon spending in the next fiscal year by $54 billion in his first budget proposal and slash the same amount from non-defense spending, including a large reduction in foreign aid, a White House budget official said on Monday.

The president does not have the final say on federal spending. His plan for the military is part of a budget proposal to Congress, which, while it is controlled by his fellow Republicans, will not necessarily follow his plans. Budget negotiations with lawmakers can take months to play out.

Trump told state governors at the White House that his budget plan includes a "historic increase in defense spending to rebuild the depleted military of the United States of America."

"This is a landmark event and message to the world in these dangerous times, of American strength, security and resolve. We must ensure that our courageous servicemen and women have the tools they need to deter war and when called upon to fight in our name, only do one thing: Win," he said.

Officials familiar with Trump's proposal said the defense increase would be financed partly by cuts to the State Department, Environmental Protection Agency and other non-defense programs.

"We´re going to do more with less and make the government lean and accountable to the people," Trump said.

Such a military spending hike would be unusual given that the United States is not engaged in a major war, although its special forces and Air Force are active against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

An official familiar with the proposal said Trump's request for the Pentagon included more money for shipbuilding, military aircraft and establishing "a more robust presence in key international waterways and choke points" such as the Strait of Hormuz and South China Sea.

That could put Washington at odds with Iran and China. The United States already has the world's most powerful fighting force and it spends far more than any other country on defense.

Defense spending in the most recent fiscal year was $584 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office, so Trump's planned $54 billion increase would be a rise of 9.2 percent. The next fiscal year starts in October.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, said Trump´s plan to slash funding for federal agencies to free up money for the Pentagon shows he is not putting American working families first.

"A $54 billion cut will do far-reaching and long-lasting damage to our ability to meet the needs of the American people and win the jobs of the future," Pelosi said. "The president is surrendering America´s leadership in innovation, education, science and clean energy."

In a speech to conservative activists on Friday, Trump promised "one of the greatest military buildups in American history."

A second official said the State Department's budget could be cut by as much as 30 percent, which would force a major restructuring of the department and elimination of programs.

The United States spends about $50 billion annually on the State Department and foreign assistance.

More than 120 retired U.S. generals and admirals urged Congress on Monday to fully fund U.S. diplomacy and foreign aid, saying that "elevating and strengthening diplomacy and development alongside defense are critical to keeping America safe."

Trump has previously said he would expand the Army to 540,000 active-duty troops from its current 480,000, increase the Marine Corps from 23 to 36 battalions - or as many as 10,000 more Marines - boost the Navy from 276 to 350 ships and submarines, and raise the number of Air Force tactical aircraft from 1,100 to 1,200.

But he has not said where he would place the extra hardware and forces or made clear what they will be used for. The United States has been shutting some of its military bases in recent years.

Trump has also said he would bolster the development of missile defenses and cyber capabilities. Last week, he told Reuters the United States has "fallen behind on nuclear weapon capacity." He pledged to ensure that, "We're going to be at the top of the pack."

Trump also said on Monday he would talk about his plans for infrastructure spending in a speech to Congress on Tuesday. "We're going to start spending on infrastructure big," he said.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, speaking on Fox News on Sunday, said Trump's budget would not seek cuts in federal social programs such as Social Security and Medicare.</s>WASHINGTON — President Trump has signed off on top-line numbers in a budget outline that seeks to make good on his campaign promises to bolster military spending while making deep cuts to other federal agencies, including the .

"This budget will be a public safety and national security budget, very much based on those two with plenty of other things but very strong," Trump said Monday. "And it will include a historic increase in defense spending to rebuild the depleted military of the United States of America at a time we most need it."

He said he will lay out more detail during a prime-time joint address to Congress Tuesday.

"This defense spending increase will be offset and paid for by finding greater savings and efficiencies across the federal government," Trump said. "We're going to do more with less."

said the budget proposal will include a $54 billion increase in defense spending and an equivalent cut in non-defense, discretionary spending. That would mean a roughly 5% decrease from the current discretionary budget of $1.064 trillion.

As part of those cuts, the administration may seek to decrease foreign aid, something the president hinted at Monday morning during a meeting with governors at the White House. Trump said the budget "puts America first by keeping tax dollars in America."

It also includes investments in law enforcement and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"We can do so much more with the money we spend," Trump said. "With $20 trillion in debt, can you imagine that, the government must learn to tighten its belt, something families all across the country have had to learn to do unfortunately."</s>Presidents don’t make budgets. Congress does that. But presidents can propose budgets. It’s kind of like the White House saying, “Here’s what I would spend the money on, if it was mine to spend.” As Carl Hulse writes in the New York Times:

Anyway, Donald Trump hasn’t released his budget for 2017 yet. But he’s hinted at what’s going to be in it. On Monday, Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, talked to reporters about Trump’s “budget blueprint” and what it contains.

The main takeaway from Mulvaney’s spiel was that Trump wants to ramp up military spending significantly — a 9.4% increase over last year — and that only includes defense spending, a separate category from war spending.

Overall, Trump’s budget proposal will include $603 billion for defense (a $54 billion increase) and $462 billion for everything else (a $54 billion “savings,” as Mulvaney put it).

Trump’s called those numbers “historic,” but it’s actually not the biggest bump to defense spending we’ve seen: In fiscal year 1981, defense spending jumped 25 percent ($96 billion in today’s dollars), FactCheck.org reports. 1982 and 1983 also saw bigger spikes.

In terms of cuts, the EPA seems most likely to end up on the chopping block. On the campaign trail, Trump frequently railed against the EPA’s environmental regulations, which he says hobble businesses, and he's already begun to roll back some of what the EPA did under Obama.

Reportedly, Trump would also like to take a hatchet to the State Department. A “source familiar with the issue” told Politico he wants to slash the department’s budget by a whopping 37 percent, a move that made even some in Trump’s own party queasy.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Republicans would “probably not” OK such a drastic cut, and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called it “dead on arrival.”

Trump would also like to take a scalpel to foreign aid. “The president said we're going to spend less money overseas and spend more of it here. That's going to be reflected in the number we send to the State Department,” Mulvaney said. Foreign aid, which includes money to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa and money to train and equip troops in the Middle East, is less than 1% of the budget (though most Americans think it’s about a quarter).

What Trump won’t be cutting is entitlements: Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Those three programs are by far the biggest drain on the federal budget, and budget hawks like House Speaker Paul Ryan want them trimmed. But Trump made safeguarding them a bedrock principle of his campaign, so tinkering with them at all would require some political gymnastics. Still, it’s not inconceivable.
The Trump administration plans to increase the budget of the United States Armed Forces by more than 9%.