U.S. Defense Spending by President Since 1997

U.S. defense spending has climbed steadily since 1997, with the latest proposal from President Donald Trump pushing the budget to an unprecedented $1.5 trillion for 2027—a roughly 50% increase over current levels.

According to Office of Management and Budget data adjusted to constant 2025 dollars, spending rose from around $500 billion in the late 1990s under President Clinton to over $900 billion during the Bush-era wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

That elevated level persisted through the Obama administration and remained high under Presidents Trump and Biden, with the approved 2026 budget reaching $901 billion.

Trump’s new proposal aims to expand military capabilities and accelerate modernization, marking the largest single-year increase in decades.

This trajectory reflects ongoing post-9/11 commitments, evolving global threats, and a continued bipartisan consensus on defense investment, though the scale of the proposed hike signals a significant escalation in national security priorities.