Congressman Mike Turner, Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, said President Donald Trump’s “historic increase” in military spending, is a fake.
Trump said the budget increase will be funded by cuts elsewhere in government, but Turner said the offer of a $603 billion budget for defense, is well below the needed $640 billion.
“The new administration claiming a 10% increase that’s really a 3% increase is fake budgeting.
“Our military’s readiness has suffered immensely over the past 8 years due to stringent budget cuts.
“It is imperative we can make a real attempt to reverse dangerous trends in defense spending,” said Turner.
Turner added that he hoped the administration will be able to come to the negotiating table in a meaningful way to support our armed forces and to protect our interests at home and abroad.
Donald Trump said on Monday he is seeking to boost Pentagon spending by $54 billion in his first budget proposal and slash the same amount from non-defense spending, including a large reduction in foreign aid, a White House budget official said.
Trump called it a public safety and national security budget and it will include an historic increase in defense spending to rebuild the depleted military of the United States of America at a time we most need it.
The U.S. military is already the world’s most powerful fighting force and the United States spends far more than any other country on defense.