Budget Matters Blog

Category: Military & Security


Ten Things We Could Fund Instead of a Military Parade

Here are ten programs President Trump has cut (or threatened to cut) that we could save for about $45 million or less.trill


A Brief Introduction to the Ties Between Militarism and Pop Culture

Militarism is deeply intertwined in pop culture, spanning media formats of TV, movies, sports, games, and toys.


The Trillion Dollar Trade Off: War & Weapons VS. Basic Needs

President Trump is requesting a record-high $1.01 trillion “defense” budget for FY 2026 while gutting federal agencies and social services that actually keep the country safe – things like clean air and water protection, Medicaid, child nutrition, the Department of Education, green energy, and so much more.   The U.S. already...


New Mexico’s National Guard Initiative Highlights the Nation’s Skewed Priorities

On April 8, 2025, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham authorized the deployment of 60 to 70 members of the National Guard to the city of Albuquerque. 


President's 2026 Budget is a Bonanza for Weapons and Prison Contractors

Today, President Trump revealed the broad strokes of his budget request to Congress for 2026. This request does not meet the nation’s needs. 


‘Budgets Are Moral Documents’: Hundreds of Faith Leaders Condemn Republican Spending Proposals

March 5, 2025, on Christians’ Ash Wednesday, hundreds of leaders from various faiths gathered in Washington D.C. to condemn Republican proposed budget plans that would make devastating cuts to social programs and provide up to $346 billion in additional funding for the Pentagon and Trump’s ruthless mass deportation plans - and an astonishing $4.5 trillion in tax giveaways to the ultrawealthy.   


Congress Boosts the War Machine and Executive Power, While Cutting Services for Working People

While the continuing resolution is a step in the wrong direction, we must stay focused on an even bigger fight ahead: budget reconciliation.   


Justice Prevails: A Grassroots Victory in the Fight against Nuclear Weapons Proliferation

A long and hard fought win offers us a pivotal moment to advocate and mobilize for the fulfillment of human needs and protection of all life - over the expansion of nuclear arms production.  


Watch what Trump does (not what he says)

Tonight President Trump will address Congress, and who knows what he’ll say. But it’s easy to get too swept up in what he says. Instead, watch what he does.  


Shut Them Down! Closing Military Bases is Long Overdue

US military bases are wasteful, harmful, and expensive - and resistance to them is justified. On February 23, 2025, people gathered for an international day of action to call for the closure of military bases around the world.