00:15A trillion-dollar leap and a military transformation plan on an unprecedented scale.
00:22President Donald Trump has unveiled a massive $1.5 trillion defense budget proposal
00:29marking the largest increase in U.S. military spending since World War II.
00:35The plan is sweeping, ambitious, and designed to reshape how the United States fights future wars.
00:43At the center of it is a new category called Presidential Priorities,
00:48a package that includes missile defense systems, artificial intelligence, drone warfare,
00:55and the expansion of America's defense industrial base.
00:59Among the headline projects, the Golden Dome, a next-generation missile defense shield,
01:06a system aimed at countering emerging threats from advanced weapons.
01:10But that's just one piece.
01:13The Pentagon is also pushing forward with the Golden Fleet,
01:17a massive shipbuilding initiative worth over $65 billion.
01:21It includes 18 new warships and 16 support vessels,
01:27making it the largest naval expansion request in decades.
01:32The goal is clear.
01:33Rebuild maritime dominance and compete with rising global naval powers.
01:39Air power is also getting a major boost.
01:42The budget ramps up production of F-35 Lightning II aircraft to 85 units per year.
01:50Total aircraft funding, including research and development,
01:54hits $102 billion, a 26% increase from the previous year.
02:00And next-generation platforms are in focus,
02:04including advanced fighter programs and the B-21 stealth bomber.
02:09But perhaps the biggest shift is happening in the skies, without pilots.
02:15The Pentagon is making its largest ever investment in drone warfare.
02:20$53 billion is being allocated to autonomous systems,
02:25with another $21 billion for munitions,
02:28counter-drone technologies, and advanced battlefield systems.
02:32A major leap in how wars could be fought and won.
02:36The Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, once a relatively small program,
02:42is now set to receive tens of billions in funding,
02:46a clear signal the future battlefield will be driven by technology that already exists,
02:52not just concepts, but deployable systems.
02:56The budget also focuses on people.
02:59It proposes a 7% pay raise for junior enlisted troops,
03:04along with increases across the ranks,
03:06and a significant expansion of the force,
03:10adding over 44,000 service members by 2027.
03:14But there's one notable omission,
03:17the ongoing conflict with Iran.
03:20Officials say those costs will be addressed separately,
03:23through a supplemental request,
03:25meaning the real price tag could climb even higher.
03:29The total package includes $1.15 trillion in base funding,
03:35plus an additional $350 billion supplemental request,
03:40a structure that will require congressional approval
03:43and likely spark intense debate.
03:46Supporters argue it's necessary
03:49to maintain U.S. military superiority,
03:52to counter emerging threats,
03:54and to modernize a force facing rapid global change.
03:59Critics, however, question the scale
04:01and the long-term impact on federal spending.
04:05What's clear is this.
04:07This is not just a budget.
04:09It's a blueprint for the next era of warfare.
04:47This is not just a budget for the next era of warfare.
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