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Trump Just Proposed $54 Billion In Military Spending—But Do We Need It?

Looking at the last three presidents’ military budgets

Maya Kachroo-Levine
By Maya Kachroo-LevineFeb 28, 2017
Maya Kachroo-Levine
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“Weak and ineffective.” Those are the words Donald Trump used to describe the U.S. military during his presidential campaign. As our commander in chief, he has vowed to bulk up defense with additional ships, troops, and aircraft. But are these traditional (read: outdated) methods what the world’s leading superpower really needs? For the past two decades, it’s been reliance on cyber defense and unmanned vehicles that have increased—not boots on the ground. But this may all change with Trump’s 2018 budget proposal, in which he has proposed a 10 percent increase in military spending. For now, here’s a more accurate view of how our current defense budget of $583 billion adds up.

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