“The budget builds upon the historic $1 trillion fiscal year 2026 defense topline by requesting $1.5 trillion for 2027, a 42% increase, as promised by President Trump last year,” Vought told the committee. “The 2027 budget will ensure that the United States continues to maintain the world’s most powerful and capable military as we grapple with an increasingly dangerous world.”
“The president doesn’t want to do that,” he continued.
The committee also heard from Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), who noted the Department of Defense has now failed eight consecutive audits and remains the only federal agency that has never passed one—even as Vought requests a historic budget increase for the Pentagon.
Vought closed his opening remarks with a signature phrase, saying it’s “the end of fiscal futility.” Whether Congress agrees—and whether it can pass a budget before the fiscal year deadline—remains an entirely open question.
For this story, Fortune journalists used generative AI as a research tool. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.
