A Trillion for War? Invest in People, Not Provocation
This week, former President Donald Trump unveiled his plan to approve a $1 trillion defense budget for fiscal year 2026—the largest military budget in U.S. history. Framed as a path toward “unmatched military strength,” this proposal marks a nearly 12% increase from current defense and war spending levels. At a press event with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump declared, “Nobody has seen anything like it.”
He’s right. No one has seen anything like it—and that’s exactly the problem.
At the Peace Economy Project, we believe the true measure of a nation’s strength is not in its stockpile of missiles, but in the well-being of its people. A trillion-dollar defense budget sends a loud, dangerous message: that endless military buildup is more important than affordable housing, accessible healthcare, climate resilience, or quality education.
Let’s be clear: this proposed budget doesn’t protect us. It robs us.
The Real Cost of a Trillion-Dollar Military
With $1 trillion, the government could fund:
- Universal pre-K for every child in the U.S. for over a decade
- Affordable housing for hundreds of thousands of families
- Comprehensive healthcare coverage for millions
- Debt-free community college for every student in need
- Clean energy and infrastructure projects to address climate collapse
Instead, this budget pours taxpayer money into military contractors’ pockets, expanding surveillance systems, building more fighter jets, and upgrading missile stockpiles—tools of destruction, not security.
War Is Not Peace. Militarization Is Not Justice.
The Department of Defense is already the world’s largest institutional polluter and consumes more fossil fuels than most industrialized nations. Expanding its budget to historic levels will only deepen the climate crisis and escalate global tensions. Meanwhile, communities at home continue to suffer from underfunded public health systems, crumbling infrastructure, and rising inequality.
Trump’s proposal is not just fiscally irresponsible—it’s morally bankrupt.
What Security Really Looks Like
At PEP, we advocate for true national security, which means:
• Clean water and safe neighborhoods
• Economic equity and housing stability
• Investment in mental and physical healthcare
• A livable climate for future generations
• Global diplomacy over global domination
We don’t need more missiles. We need more meals, more teachers, more nurses, and more justice.
A Call to Action
This isn’t just about budgets—it’s about priorities. And the American people deserve better.
We urge elected officials, community leaders, and everyday citizens to speak out against this dangerous expansion of military spending. We must demand a federal budget that reflects our shared values—not fear and force, but care and cooperation.
💬 Raise your voice. Share this article. Start conversations.
🖊️ Sign our petition to Move the Money from war to human needs.
📢 Join us in building a peace economy—because a better world is possible.
Peace Economy Project is a St. Louis-based organization that educates the public and lawmakers about the dangers of runaway military spending and advocates for the redirection of federal funds toward social programs and community wellbeing.
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