Military Budget
➡️ U.S. Military Budget
The United States spends more on its military than the next 9 countries combined, accounting for nearly 40% of all global military expenditures in 2024.
Key Facts on U.S. Military Expenditure
- Massive Lead: U.S. spending exceeds the combined total of the next nine largest defense spenders, including China, Russia, India, UK, and Germany (Peterson Foundation 5/25)
- Global Percentage: U.S. military spending accounts for about 40% of the world total.
- 2024 Expenditure: According to SIPRI, U.S. military spending reached $997 billion in 2024.
- Comparison to China: China's estimated 2024 spending was $314 billion.
- Growth Driver: The U.S. has been a primary driver of increased global defense spending.
- Transparency & Audits: The Pentagon has never passed a full financial audit and billions of dollars are unaccounted for.
- Asset Accountability: In a recent audit, the DoD could not properly account for 63% of its $3.8 trillion in assets (Responsible Statecraft 12/23)
The high expenditure supports maintaining a global presence and advanced military equipment, often leading to debates regarding fiscal sustainability.
Author: Dr. Norbert Stute with the help of AI, Date: 16.04.26
Work in progress. Suggestions and collaboration welcome.
- 'Reckless Misuse of Resources': House Approves $778 Billion Military Budget - Common Dreams 08.12.21 264186
- $25 Billion Pentagon Budget Boost Alone Could Fund Enough Vaccines for the World: Analysis - CD 08.12.21 264185
- House Approves $778 Billion Defense Bill - WSJ 07.12.21 267022
- ‘I need a budget’: Pentagon officials thrash Congress over gridlock - Politico 06.12.21 264078
- Biden to Pentagon: Keep the war machine running - Intercept 02.12.21 264347
- Progressives Slam GOP's 'Shameful' Attempt to Add Another $25 Billion to Pentagon Budget - CD 19.11.21 261670
- Sanders Says Deficit Concerns 'Seem to Melt Away' When It's Time to Fill Pentagon Coffers - CD 18.11.21 261683
- 'We Need to Get Our Priorities Right': Bernie Sanders a 'No' on $778 Billion Pentagon Budget Vote - CD 16.11.21 261477
- The Pentagon budget should be cut by at least $1 trillion - but war profiteers won't go quietly - CD 09.11.21 261855
- As Corporate Dems Belly-Ache Over Social Investments, Senate Panel Approves Extra $29 Billion for Pentagon - Common Dreams 19.10.21 258577
- “Fiscal conservatives” have no problem with astronomical military spending - Jacobin 13.10.21 257952
- As CBO shows how to cut $1 trillion from Pentagon, progressives urge spending on 'true security' - CD 07.10.21 257522
- As Bids to Slash Pentagon Budget Fail, US Military Spending Slammed as 'Height of Absurdity' - CD 23.09.21 256043
- Barbara Lee offers amendment to reduce Pentagon budget by $25 billion - Truthout 22.09.21 255768
- Up to half of the $14 trillion spent by pentagon since 9/11 has gone to war profiteers - CD 13.09.21 255265
- On 9/11 anniversary, anti-war group says 'cut the Pentagon for people, planet, and peace' - CD 10.09.21 254811
- 'Outrageous' and 'Shameful': House Panel Approves $37.5B Boost to Pentagon Budget - Common Dreams 01.09.21 254275
- Since 9/11, US Has Spent $21 Trillion on Militarism at Home and Abroad - Common Dreams 01.09.21 254185
- House GOP quietly submit for additional $25 billion in military spending - Truthout 31.08.21 254243
- Even as Afghan War Ends, GOP Attempts to Add $25B to Military Budget - Common Dreams 31.08.21 254105
- Despite Trillions Spent, the US Military Hasn't Won a Real War Since 1945 - CD 23.08.21 255807
- The Pentagon Is Killing Us — and the Planet - CD 05.08.21 254942
- Video: Should We Reallocate The US Military Budget? - Second Thought 16.04.21 250973
- Three Reasons To Reduce Pentagon Spending - Forbes 16.02.21 238956
- Warren Blasts 'Unconscionable' $740 Billion Pentagon Budget While Millions Suffer From Poverty, Joblessness, and Covid-19 - CD 02.02.21 234072
- Video: The US Has Made Something Far Worse Than Coronavirus, w Stephen Fry - Pindex 23.01.21 (must watch) 234473
- Trump Rightly Vetoes Pentagon Budget, for the Wrong Reasons - DN! 30.12.20 230456
- House overrides Trump veto of military spending bill - WSWS 29.12.20 229903
- In bipartisan vote: US House approves record $741 billion military spending bill - WSWS 10.12.20 227502
- 'Colossal Backdoor Bailout': Outrage as Pentagon Funnels Hundreds of Millions Meant for Covid Supplies to Private Defense Contractors - CD 22.09.20 217268
- Despite Overseeing Soaring Civilian Casualties, Trump Points Finger at Pentagon Leaders as Warmongers - CD 08.09.20 215916
- 'Inhumane at Any Time,' But During a Pandemic? House Approval of $740 Billion Pentagon Budget Condemned - CD 31.07.20 215128
- Day After Voting Down 10% Pentagon Cut, 37 Senate Dems Join GOP to Approve $740 Billion War Budget - CD 23.07.20 213473
- "The Fight Isn't Over," Say Anti-War Groups as 139 House Democrats Vote With GOP to Reject 10% Pentagon Budget Cut - CD 21.07.20 214490
- How the House Armed Services Committee, in the Middle of a Pandemic, Approved a Huge Military Budget and More War in Afghanistan - Intercept 09.07.20 213025
- 60+ groups demand Senate pass Sanders Amendment to slash 'out of control' Pentagon budget by $74bn - CD 30.06.20 211714
- COVID-19 Means Good Times for the Pentagon - POGO 29.06.20 213087
- "The Government Can Afford Anything It Wants" The New Republic 19.06.20 210551
- "How Our Bloated Military Strengthens the Police State" In These Times 17.06.20 210555
- Time to 'Reinvest in People' and 'Cut Weapons of War': Barbara Lee Unveils Plan to Cut Up to $350 Billion From Pentagon - CD 16.06.20 211872
- "Defund the Police, Then Defund the Military" Foreign Policy 15.06.20 210540
- "Panel: COVID-19 Pandemic Could Prompt Changes to National Security Spending" USNI News 15.06.20 210556
- "The Pentagon Can’t Afford All of the Weapons It Wants, New Report Says" Defense One 9.06.20 210554
- "Will Defense Budgets Remain ‘Sticky’ After the COVID-19 Pandemic?" Defense News 26.05.20 210541
- "Pandemic Spending Will Force US Defense Budget Cuts—Some of Which Should Come from Nuclear Weapons Programs" The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 8.05.20 210552
- "SECDEF Esper Preparing For Future Defense Spending Cuts" USNI News 4.05.20 210529
- "Global Military Spending Just Saw Its Biggest Spike in a Decade, But the US Outspends Everyone Else by Far" Business Insider 29.04.20 210528
- "Record High Say U.S. Defense Spending Is "About Right'" Gallup 16.03.20 210532
- "Here’s the Firepower the Pentagon Is Asking for in Its $705 Billion Budget" CNBC 11.02.20 210531
- "DOD Releases Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Proposal" U.S. Dept. of Defense 10.02.20 210508
- "Why Does the US Spend So Much on Defense?" Defense One 26.01.20 210507
- "Pentagon Finally Gets its 2020 Budget from Congress" Defense News 19.12.19 210510
- "Focusing on Quality Over Quantity in the US Military Budget" Brookings Institute 2.12.19 210553
- YouTube: "How Much of the U.S. Military Budget Can Be Cut?" - Democracy Now! 21.11.19 210534
- "US Military Spending: Many Americans Now Believe Less is More" Al Jareeza 18.11.19 210525
- "Is US Defense Spending Too High, Too Low, or Just Right?" Brookings Institute 15.10.19 210527
- "U.S. Military Forces in FY 2020: The Strategic and Budget Context" CSIS 30.9.19 210521
- "America’s Defense Budget Is Bigger Than You Think" The Nation 7.05.19 210509
- "U.S. Military Spending Set to Increase for Fifth Consecutive Year, Nearing Levels During Height of Iraq War" WaPo 19.04.19 210520
- "Global Military Expenditures Are Up, Driven By Top 2 Spenders — U.S. And China" NPR 29.04.19 210535
- "Global Military Spending at New Post-Cold War High, Fueled by U.S., China: Think-Tank" Reuters 29.04.19 210536
- The Military Budget Is a Disgrace - Jacobin 24.04.19 250329
- "New U.S. Military Budget Focused on China Despite Border Talk" PBS 16.03.19 210539
- "If Anything, America’s Defense Budget Is Too Small" Politico 15.01.19 210538
- "How Does the United States Military Budget Affect the Economy?" Wharton University of Pennsylvania 11.8.17 210537
- Pentagon Hypes Russia Threat in Effort to Boost Defense Spending - WPR 23.09.15 283309