The US Department of Defense, known as the "Pentagon," is preparing to cut the military budget requested by US President Donald Trump by approximately $400 billion, amid growing indications of difficulty in passing the $1.5 trillion request through Congress, according to the US website "Politico."
The website stated that officials in the US Department of Defense and congressional appropriations committees are working on preparing a defense budget lower than the amount demanded by the administration, noting that it could reach approximately $1.1 trillion, based on statements from a defense sector official, former officials, and a source familiar with the file.
Politico pointed out that these moves come despite pressure from the US administration to pass the largest increase in military spending in the country's history, aiming to update weapon arsenals and fund wide-ranging military projects, including the creation of a large-scale missile shield and the construction of a fleet of nuclear-powered warships.
The administration had linked the passage of the budget increase to a legislative mechanism known as "reconciliation," which allows Republicans to add approximately $350 billion to the base defense budget of $1.15 trillion without needing Democratic support.
According to "Politico," Pentagon planners are currently reviewing defense programs that should be prioritized if the required funding is not obtained, as disagreements within the Republican Party regarding spending and foreign policy are increasing.
It noted that senior Republicans in the Senate do not have enough votes to pass the spending package through the reconciliation mechanism, while Republican representatives in the House of Representatives threatened to withhold their votes in protest of the administration's handling of foreign policy and the failure to allocate more funds to the military.
Lawmakers are scheduled to return to Washington next month, where they will have less than five weeks to complete several files before the end of the year, amid anticipation of the midterm election results and the possibility that losing their majority in one or both chambers of Congress could narrow their margin for advancing their legislative priorities.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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