Biden’s $715 Billion Pentagon Plan Stirs Debate Over Size, Focus
- Proposal opens a congressional fight over military spending
- Plan also views climate change as national security challenge
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President Joe Biden plans to request $715 billion for his first Pentagon budget, quickly generating a vigorous debate in Congress over how much to spend on defense and how to spend it.
The $715 billion for the Defense Department is 1.6% higher than the $704 billion enacted for this year, but it would amount to a decrease of about 0.4% in real terms adjusted for inflation. The proposal, announced Friday as part of the president’s broader budget plan for the next fiscal year, signals efforts to deter China and Russia by advancing hypersonic weapons and bolstering the U.S. Navy fleet with ballistic missile submarines and unmanned ships.