The Guardian
Anna Betts
04/15/2026
Many US households spent hundreds more tax dollars on the military last year, according to new analysis, as Donald Trump’s plans to dramatically increase federal defense spending faces growing scrutiny.
Millions of Americans will race to file their taxes on Wednesday, the final day for federal returns, amid concern over rising living costs and government spending.
The US-Israeli war with Iran has drawn vast US expenditure on war into the spotlight: Pentagon officials reportedly told lawmakers in March that they estimated the cost of the war had exceeded $11.3bn in the first six days alone, before Trump proposed increasing defense spending by roughly 40% earlier this month, while other government programs would face cuts totaling 10%.
