The Democrats’ victory in the US midterm elections casts doubt on funding for President Donald Trump’s most ambitious military projects. The Democratic Party won control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which analysts say makes the passage of the full $1.5 trillion defense budget unlikely.
The fiscal year 2027 proposal provides nearly $66 billion for the construction of 18 combat ships and 16 auxiliary vessels. It also includes initial funding for Trump-class warships and new frigates. Another key priority is the Golden Dome missile defense system, for which $17.5 billion has been allocated.
Almost all funding for Golden Dome and a significant portion of the funds for other new military capabilities depend on the reconciliation procedure. It allows the Senate to pass certain budget measures by a simple majority, instead of the usual threshold of 60 votes. Following the Democrats’ electoral victory, this option is now considered unlikely.
The Projects Linked to Trump
Axios cited a memorandum by the research group TD Cowen, according to which “projects branded with Trump’s name are doomed.” The document lists Golden Dome, Golden Fleet and other initiatives that analysts believe will be scaled back.
Todd Harrison, a defense budget expert at the American Enterprise Institute, told Axios that he expects the lame-duck Congress not to pass the reconciliation bill. In his words, the baseline expectation is “that nothing will happen with the defense budget,” and funding will continue through a continuing resolution next year as well.
If the additional funding is dropped, the proposal could shrink from $1.5 trillion to around $1.1 trillion. According to Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, many of the main areas—drones, munitions, shipbuilding and missile defense—have bipartisan support, but specific projects could be changed or renamed.
The Next Clash Will Be in Congress
The Democratic majority will assume full control of Congress at the start of the new term. Until then, lawmakers must decide how to fund federal agencies and the military while the existing budget procedures remain deadlocked.
Axios reported that several influential Republicans linked to the defense and appropriations committees have lost their elections or are at risk of being defeated. The Pentagon has not commented on the forecasts. Trump himself said he was not considering replacing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and that he was doing a very good job.
Sources: axios.com, defenseone.com, apnews.com