Trump requests $1.5 trillion defence budget for Golden Dome

Donald Trump has requested a whopping $1.5 trillion defence budget for next year that will go towards new projects, including his Golden Dome.

The US President, 79, first announced plans for the 'Golden Dome' in January 2025 - a multi-layered national missile defence system aimed at countering aerial threats to the US, such as ballistic and cruise missiles.

As reported by CBS News, Trump said it would include 'next-generation technologies' deployed on 'land, sea, and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors'.

The Republican leader said, "The Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world and even if they are launched from space."

He plans for the ambitious project to be operational before his term ends in early 2029 - and it looks like it's also going to need quite the pot of money.

On Wednesday (22 April), The Washington Post reported the Pentagon's request for a $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027, including an outline of how Trump plans to spend it.

The US President is requesting a $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027 (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

The publication outlined that this is nearly a 50 percent jump in spending, and it's unlikely to pass through Congress.

For context, this year's budget was $901 billion.

As per the Post, tens of billions would be set aside for the Navy’s future 'Golden Fleet' battleship and F-47 Air Force fighter jet, while a massive $18 billion would be allocated to the Golden Dome.

The big budget request is expected to face opposition, especially from Democrats, who argue that the dome and battleships are vanity projects rather than important defence priorities.

Trump is also asking for almost $75 billion to expand the military’s arsenal of unmanned weapon systems, such as unmanned surface vessels, combat and refueling aircraft, one-way attack drones, and counter-drone technology.

And another few billion dollars have been requested to top up the arsenal of long-range strike and air defense missiles

Trump first unveiled plans for his Golden Dome last year (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Finally, another big portion would go towards replenishing America's 'critically low' arsenal of long-range strike and air defense missiles, which were reportedly already dwindling before the Iran war

As reported by Metro, if the budget were to pass, it would make history as the biggest military funding request from the Pentagon since the Cold War.

Trump first announced his funding proposal in January on Truth Social, gushing that it would pave the way for a 'dream military'.

He wrote at the time: "This will allow us to build the 'Dream Military' that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe."