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On Tuesday\u2019s broadcast of the Fox Business Network\u2019s \u201cMornings with Maria,\u201d Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) said that the White House\u2019s $1.5 trillion defense budget request is \u201cgoing to be tough\u201d to accept, and while there should be increases in defense spending, it shouldn\u2019t reach that level. He also stated that \u201cnondiscretionary funding is about 70% of our funding. Discretionary funding is 30%. And of that, 70% is already our defense budget. So, there\u2019s really not much there, okay, to squeeze out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Host Maria Bartiromo asked, \u201cCongressman, I want to get your take on what comes next, in particular, the president\u2019s request for $1.5 trillion\u00a0defense spending as part of the fiscal 2027 budget, that\u2019s a nearly 40% increase from 2026 levels. This would include roughly $1 trillion in base defense funding, 350 billion in mandatory funding for munitions and industrial capacity, it also maintains funding for the Golden Dome missile defense system using space-based technology. It\u2019s also going to cut billions from\u2026domestic programs, including a proposal to cut 10% in nondefense discretionary spending, including agencies such as NASA, the State Department, the EPA. What does that look like, do you support this plan, and how does this play out?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gimenez answered, \u201cI\u2019ve got to look at the details. I sit on [the] Armed Services Committee. That\u2019s a pretty heavy lift, 1.5 trillion. It was pretty hard for us to get to 1 trillion. I do agree that we need to spend more on defense, and whatever it takes for us to protect America, that\u2019s what we need to spend. But I think it\u2019s going to be tough to get to 1.5 trillion. It\u2019ll be some increases in spending, but I\u2019m not sure we\u2019re going to get to 1.5.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that \u201cAbout 1.2, 1.25, something like that\u201d is the appropriate amount, and added, \u201c[W]hat else is going to get cut? Remember, look, discretionary funding \u2014 nondiscretionary funding is about 70% of our funding. Discretionary funding is 30%. And of that, 70% is already our defense budget. So, there\u2019s really not much there, okay, to squeeze out. So, as much as we can squeeze out, we will. But this is going to be a give-and-take, and, also, remember, we\u2019ve got to deal with the Senate, and the Senate isn\u2019t all controlled entirely by Republicans. You have the filibuster, etc., and, so, in order to get an appropriations done, also, we have to get it by the Senate, and I\u2019m not sure that we\u2019re going to get to 1.5 with the Senate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Follow <\/em>Ian\u00a0Hanchett on Twitter\u00a0@IanHanchett<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n