The Trump administration has unveiled a proposed $892.6 billion defense budget for fiscal year 2026 that significantly shifts priorities in U.S. military spending. The new budget calls for a reduction in procurement of the F-35 fighter jet and a marked increase in investments in drones and long-range missile systems.
According to documents released by the Department of Defense, the number of F-35s to be purchased in 2026 will be reduced to 47 — down from 68 in the previous year’s request under the Biden administration. This adjustment affects all branches of the military currently operating the stealth fighter: the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps.
In place of traditional manned aircraft procurement, the Trump administration is channeling funds into long-range precision weapons such as the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER), Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM), and small, expendable drones. Defense officials argue these platforms reflect the modern battlefield and respond directly to lessons drawn from recent conflicts, including the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The administration has framed the budget as a pivot toward “warfighting relevance,” with a focus on agility, survivability, and cost-efficiency. At a briefing, Pentagon officials emphasized the need to reinforce the U.S. position in the Indo-Pacific, invest in next-generation technologies, and streamline legacy systems that are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain and potentially obsolete in modern combat scenarios.
Included in the budget is a 3.8% pay raise for active-duty personnel. However, it also proposes the elimination of over 7,000 civilian Navy jobs and calls for the retirement of aging ships and aircraft, raising concerns among defense labor unions and some lawmakers.
The U.S. Navy, in particular, will see reduced funding in shipbuilding programs, with only three new vessels slated for construction this year. Several other programs have been deferred to supplemental bills or removed entirely. Analysts note this could impact the service’s operational readiness in the short term, especially amid ongoing maritime tensions with China.
Meanwhile, the administration is also advocating for an increase in funding for the “Golden Dome” — a proposed space-based missile defense initiative inspired by the Reagan-era Strategic Defense Initiative. An additional $25 billion is requested outside the main budget for this project, which the White House says will bolster homeland missile defense against advanced threats, including hypersonic and intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Reaction in Congress has been swift. The House Appropriations Committee has already proposed an amendment to restore the F-35 buy to 69 jets, indicating bipartisan resistance to Trump’s push to deemphasize the program. The committee’s chair argued that cutting back on F-35s jeopardizes the U.S. airpower advantage and would impact defense contractors and local economies dependent on the program.
