All people should have access to nutritious food, safe housing, and the health care they need. Every child deserves to have a quality education, clean air to breathe, and opportunities to thrive.
But today, the United States spends $1.1 trillion—over half of our federal discretionary budget—not on these human needs, but on war and militarism. Now Congress is pushing for an additional $342 billion in military spending while further slashing programs that help families and communities across the U.S. And while the Trump administration has stated that the Pentagon should make significant cuts to existing programs, it has also indicated that any savings would fund new military spending—not human needs.
As a Quaker organization working for peace with justice, AFSC has long joined with communities in urging Congress to prioritize human needs over weapons and war. Here's what you need to know about the U.S. military budget and how you can take action to cut Pentagon spending.
1. The majority of the federal discretionary budget goes to war and militarism while human needs go unmet.
In FY 2023, over $1.1 trillion—62% of our federal discretionary budget—went to war and militarism. This included $922 billion for the military and additional funding for homeland security, federal law enforcement, and veterans’ benefits.
That left just over one-third ($685 billion) of our federal discretionary budget to pay for housing, health, energy and the environment, education, science, transportation, international affairs, and other critical needs. For every $10 of the discretionary budget spent, less than $4 went to benefit people and communities.
Now Congress is considering even more massive increases in funding for war and militarism. This includes $150 billion for the Pentagon, $175 billion in border security funding, and $17 billion for the Coast Guard. Under congressional budget reconciliation rules, any new funding cannot increase the deficit. That means if Congress approves additional military spending, it will need to cut vital programs that support families and communities. These are programs—such as SNAP food benefits, education funding, and infrastructure repair—that have already been slashed, overstretched, and cannot sustain significant cuts without harming the health and well-being of millions of people.
The U.S. must stop pouring money into a military budget that feeds military contractors but starves everyone else—while doing nothing to make us safer.
2. The Pentagon wastes billions of tax dollars while failing basic accountability.
The Pentagon has failed seven consecutive audits—the only federal agency that has never passed one. In 2024, only nine of the Pentagon’s 28 departments participating in the audit passed. The other 19 agencies could not account for funding and supplies or demonstrate they had anti-fraud protections in place.
There’s no shortage of examples of waste when it comes to military spending. In 2023, the Pentagon couldn’t account for over 63% of its nearly $4 trillion in assets. In 2021, the Army’s forecast of what spare parts it would need was only 20% accurate. Because it overstated its needs by over $200 million, it then had to order $178 million in parts that it did not anticipate needing. Poor oversight at the Pentagon also enabled Boeing to overcharge the Air Force by more than 8,000% for soap dispensers—and is why the Air Force paid over $1,300 for each reusable coffee mug used in its KC-10 aircrafts.
Congress should not give more to an agency that can’t properly account for its assets and is regularly overcharged by contractors.
3. Increased military spending will never lead to security.
The push for more military spending is part of a long-term plan to have the military budget reach 5% of GDP (over $1.7 trillion) in annual spending by 2034. Sen. Roger Wicker, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and others argue that this level of spending is needed to prepare to fight a potential two-front war against both Russia and China. A core part of the build-up includes upgrades to U.S. nuclear weapons systems that are expected to cost over $1.7 trillion dollars.
Military confrontation with either Russia or China should be unthinkable. Both nations are nuclear powers and any war with them would result in unimaginable destruction.
Instead of spending money on nuclear upgrades and other weapons systems, the U.S. should restart discussions on denuclearization and disarmament. We must also invest in diplomacy and engagement to lower tensions and strengthen cooperative relationships.
4. Cutting funding for foreign aid and diplomacy further threatens U.S. security.
As Congress considers increases to military spending, the Trump administration has already frozen nearly all foreign aid funding. While AFSC does not always agree with how U.S foreign aid is used, this assistance helps save lives around the world. U.S. foreign aid plays a vital role in protecting global health, alleviating poverty, and preventing conflict.
Increased Pentagon spending at the expense of foreign aid makes us less safe. Without foreign assistance and diplomatic engagement, military solutions become the only tool left for addressing foreign policy challenges. We cede soft power tools and the ability to influence through economic and governance support to both allies and rivals on the international stage. We give up early warning systems and well-proven tools for stopping conflict before it starts.
Despite the Trump administration’s claims, freezing foreign assistance funding is not about saving money. The total U.S. foreign affairs and aid budget is around $56 billion dollars, just 0.03% of all U.S spending.
5. The administration’s proposed Pentagon cuts mask more military spending.
While Congress continues to push for record Pentagon spending levels, President Donald Trump has publicly called for Pentagon budget cuts. On Feb. 13, he stated that the U.S. should engage with Russia and China to push for denuclearization, noting that the U.S. is wasting money on new and upgraded nuclear bombs when we already have enough weapons “to destroy the world 50 times over.” He said that by reaching agreements with rival nations, the U.S. could reduce runaway military spending by as much as 50%.
Soon after, on Feb. 19, Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth called for cuts of up to 8% in the Pentagon budget for each of the next five years. This includes up to $50 billion in cuts over the next year alone.
However, the administration’s cuts would not lower U.S. military spending. Unlike cuts to education, health care, food assistance programs, and other areas of the budget, the administration is proposing that any Pentagon “savings” be redirected to missile defense systems, border militarization, and other military projects.
This is an enormously missed opportunity. The Pentagon budget remains one of the few areas where substantial cuts can be made and where change is vitally needed.
6. You can speak out against military spending today.
Current levels of U.S. military spending are unsustainable and indefensible. Instead, we should redirect those resources to diplomacy, humanitarian aid, economic development, and other programs that benefit the health and well-being of all people.
Here are two ways you can take action today:
- Tell Congress: Fund human needs, not war and militarism. Our tax dollars should be spent on building a more peaceful future where all people can thrive. Tell Congress to support real cuts in the Pentagon budget to reduce overall military spending—not shift funding from one weapons system to another.
- Urge elected officials to resume U.S. foreign assistance. Demand a restoration of USAID and support for a U.S. foreign policy that focuses on peacebuilding, diplomacy, and meeting human needs.
