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Issues · military-spending · Foreign policy

Military / defense spending

How much the U.S. should spend on defense ($800B+/year, ~3.4% of GDP) and on what — strategic competition, force structure, modernization, and procurement reform.

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U.S. defense spending of $800B+ per year exceeds the next ten countries combined. Spending grew substantially through the post-9/11 era; subsequent debates have centered on right-sizing for great-power competition with China and Russia.

Key debates:

  • Top-line: Increase, hold, or cut?
  • Force structure: Two-war capability vs. focused on China; ground-force size; carrier numbers; air-superiority modernization.
  • Procurement reform: F-35, Sentinel ICBM cost overruns; commercial-tech access (SpaceX, Anduril, Palantir).
  • Personnel: Recruitment shortfalls, pay, benefits.
  • Strategic competition: Indo-Pacific posture; deterrence of China.

Spectrum of framings

How adherents on each side of the conventional left / center / right spectrum frame this issue — written so each camp would recognize the framing as charitable.

left

Many progressives favor reducing defense spending and reallocating to domestic priorities.

center

Most centrists favor preserving or modestly increasing defense spending, with procurement reform.

right

Most conservatives favor preserving or increasing defense spending; some "restrainers" favor restructuring.

Perspectives

Each perspective is presented in terms its advocates would recognize, with the concerns they treat as paramount. None is endorsed.

  • Maintain-or-increase advocates

    Strategic competition with China requires sustained or increased investment in modernization, Indo-Pacific posture, naval shipbuilding, and emerging technologies. Underspending invites adversary aggression.

    • China deterrence
    • Modernization across services
    • Industrial-base capacity

  • Reduce-and-reallocate advocates

    The U.S. spends more than the next ten countries combined. Substantial cuts are possible without compromising security; resources can address pressing domestic needs.

    • Domestic-investment trade-offs
    • Eliminating underperforming programs
    • Avoiding militarization of foreign policy

  • Restructure-and-modernize advocates

    The defense budget is misallocated. Cut Cold War-era platforms, accelerate commercial tech adoption, fix procurement, and prioritize Indo-Pacific posture — without necessarily increasing the top-line.

    • Procurement reform
    • Commercial-tech adoption
    • Indo-Pacific prioritization

Voices on this issue10

Commonly-cited public figures who have taken a position on this issue. Grouped by their conventional left/center/right lean. Tap a voice to see their full position record.

left1

center2

right7

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