Senate Budget Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) expressed strong reservations regarding President Trump’s defense funding plan in his 2026 budget. She noted encountering issues not just with the defense allocation but also with certain non-defense programs.
In a statement released on Friday, Collins referred to Trump’s proposal as “just a step in the annual budget process,” pointing out that while the request has faced delays in Congress, significant details remain up in the air.
“From what I’ve seen so far, I’m quite concerned about the proposed freeze on defense funding, especially considering the security issues we’re dealing with,” Collins mentioned, highlighting cuts and potential exclusions from programs like LIHEAP, TRIO, and biomedical research.
She emphasized, “Ultimately, it’s Congress that has the financial authority.”
Collins also noted that the Approximate Expenditure Committee has an active schedule to better understand the president’s proposal and evaluate next year’s funding needs.
Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), informed Collins in a letter on Friday morning that the presidential request is for a 13% increase in defense spending, totaling around $1 trillion for fiscal year 2026. At the same time, the proposed plan includes significant cuts to non-defense programs.
This budget anticipates that some of the increase will be funded through what Trump describes as his “big, beautiful” bill, which Republicans are working to secure in Congress. Their goal is to utilize a complicated process, known as budget adjustment, to push forward Trump’s tax plans while attempting to limit additional spending increases and funding for both defense and immigration plans. Although this method can be slow and challenging, it allows Republicans to navigate the legislative landscape without fearing Democratic opposition in the Senate.
Vought mentioned that part of these increases is projected to come from a proposed $325 billion settlement included in a recent budget resolution agreed upon by Congress, aimed at providing necessary resources to military and agencies combating border violations.
However, the defense advocates have voiced objections to this proposal.
“President Trump has effectively promoted peace through his strength agenda, but it seems his advisors at the OMB are out of touch,” stated Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in a Friday statement. He added that for five years now, the OMB has requested funding that keeps military spending flat.
Wicker went on to say, “For months, I’ve emphasized that settlement defense spending doesn’t meet the real need for growth in the military’s core budget.”
Vought commented on budget matters last Friday, indicating on his social media that the president’s strategy aims to boost defense spending to $1 trillion while ensuring that only Republican votes will be needed through settlements, avoiding unnecessary government spending increases.
Hardline conservatives stand behind this strategy, with Chip Roy (R-Texas) framing it as a necessary “paradigm shift” that will compel Democrats to confront the defense budget held captive by bureaucratic challenges.
