Trump's proposed military spending surge could come at the cost of future healthcare funding Published May 8, 2026 6:30AM (EDT) US President Donald Trump announces the US Navy's new Golden Fleet initiative, unveiling a new class of warships, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 22, 2025. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images) In late April, President Donald Trump requested a record-breaking $1.5 trillion defense budget, which, if approved, would mark the largest ever increase in Department of Defense funding. It remains an open question whether or not the priorities outlined in the budget even make sense, especially in light of lessons from the ongoing Iran war, and whether the military spending is worth the cuts it will necessitate elsewhere in government. The proposed budget comes in the wake of recent comments from the president indicating that he believes that military readiness, rather than the wellbeing of the American people, should be the budgetary priority of the government.…