Trump to propose 10% defence increase, domestic cuts

US President Donald Trump said he is seeking a 'historic increase' in military spending to be funded by cuts elsewhere in government

In remarks to governors on Monday at the White House, Donald Trump called his plan a “public safety budget” focused on increasing law enforcement and keeping out terrorists
In remarks to governors on Monday at the White House, Donald Trump called his plan a “public safety budget” focused on increasing law enforcement and keeping out terrorists

President Donald Trump will propose boosting defense spending by $54 billion in his first budget plan, offset by an equivalent cut from the rest of the government’s discretionary budget, according to administration officials.

The proposed rise in the Pentagon budget to $603 billion comes as the United States has wound down major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and remains the world's strongest military power.

A White House budget official, who outlined the plan on a conference call with reporters, said the administration would propose "increasing defense by $54 billion or 10%."

The cuts will reportedly not affect entitlements, including Social Security and Medicare, which make up about two-thirds of the $4 trillion federal budget.

The plan came under fire from Democratic lawmakers, who said cuts being proposed to pay for the additional military spending would cripple important domestic programmes such as environmental protection and education.

But Mick Mulvaney, the White House budget director, said the plan would bring the Pentagon's budget to just 3% more than the $584 billion the agency spent in the most recent fiscal year, which ended on 30 September 2016.

The rise would be slightly higher than the country's current 2.5% rate of inflation.

"President Trump intends to submit a defence budget that is a mere 3% above President (Barack) Obama’s defence budget, which has left our military underfunded, undersized, and unready to confront threats to our national security," John McCain, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement.

Trump’s plan for the military is part of a budget proposal to Congress, which, although it is controlled by his fellow Republicans, will not necessarily follow his plans.

McCain told reporters he would not vote for a budget with the slight military increase and thought it would face opposition in the Senate.

Trump told state governors at the White House his budget plan included a "historic increase in defence spending to rebuild the depleted military of the United States of America."

He said his proposal was a "landmark event" and would send a message of "American strength, security and resolve" to other countries.