Trump’s budget promises $500 billion military boost — and a 15.3% rise in discretionary spending

The Trump administration’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 increases discretionary spending by $288.4 billion, or 15.3%, compared to fiscal year 2026. This rise contradicts the president’s campaign promise to cut the federal budget every year. The increase is driven by a $500 billion boost to military spending, which would make the Pentagon’s budget the largest in U.S. history. That surge outweighs a $70 billion reduction in non-defense discretionary programs, which fund services ranging from health to homeland security. The net effect is a significantly larger discretionary budget. The proposal does not include major reforms to mandatory spending programs like Medicare, Social Security, or Medicaid—areas that are primary drivers of long-term debt. Without changes there, the administration offers no credible path to reducing deficits. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget projects that, even under the administration’s optimistic economic assumptions, federal public debt will climb from 100% of GDP in 2025 to 103% by 2029 if the budget becomes law. Presidential budget requests require congressional approval, and Congress has not yet acted on this proposal.