U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has described the planned increase in American defense spending to $1.5 trillion as a “message to the world.”
Hegseth is currently holding meetings with NATO counterparts, discussing security priorities and military cooperation.
Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Hegseth said: “Modernization is not just something we are talking about; it is something we are also doing through the way we act. A $1.5 trillion investment in our defense in fiscal year 2027 is a message to the world.”
According to government documents, U.S. defense spending in fiscal year 2026 stood at just under $1 trillion.
The funding will be directed toward strengthening U.S. military capabilities, expanding its defense industrial base, and building what Hegseth called an “arsenal of freedom.”
He also emphasized that part of the investment will support NATO forces and allied defense capabilities.
The announcement comes amid a broader push under former President Donald Trump’s leadership to significantly expand U.S. military strength, following escalating global security tensions, including recent conflict dynamics involving Iran.
