U.S. lawmakers have released a massive $901 billion defense policy bill for 2026, exceeding President Donald Trump’s own spending request and marking the largest national security authorization in American history. The 3,000-page National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes a 4% pay raise for enlisted troops and $400 million in military aid for Ukraine. It drops a bipartisan measure aimed at boosting military housing construction.
Why It Matters:
The NDAA is considered “must-pass” legislation Congress has approved it every year for more than six decades. This year’s version reflects Trump’s priorities, embedding efforts to reshape the Pentagon by eliminating diversity and inclusion programs, deploying troops to the U.S.–Mexico border, and expanding the defense industrial base. The bill not only sets policy but signals the scale of America’s global military posture at a time of heightened tensions with China, Russia and Iran.
Political Landscape:
Normally a bipartisan exercise, this year’s NDAA emerged from a far more partisan process. Republicans control both chambers and aligned closely with Trump’s agenda, while Democrats objected to provisions allowing domestic troop deployments and limiting oversight of presidential military actions. A standoff eased only after Republican Senator Roger Wicker agreed to hold a hearing on Trump’s earlier use of the military in U.S. cities. The bill also repeals long-standing war authorizations from Iraq in 1991 and 2002.
What’s in the Bill:
The NDAA authorizes defense programs but does not provide actual funding that will require a separate appropriations bill later this year. The Senate had originally pushed for $925 billion, while the House mirrored Trump’s $892.6 billion request. The final compromise inched closer to the Senate’s higher figure. Alongside traditional military procurement and competitive positioning against rivals, the bill includes border troop deployments and curbs on programs Trump opposes.
What’s Next:
Both chambers are expected to vote on the measure soon, and passage is likely given the NDAA’s long-standing status. Once approved, Congress must still negotiate actual spending levels in the 2026 defense appropriations bill. Debate is expected to intensify as lawmakers balance record military spending with domestic political divides and Trump’s controversial policy priorities.
With information from Reuters.
