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President Joe Biden has proposed a Pentagon budget of $850 billion for fiscal year 2025, focusing on arming Taiwan and boosting funding for anti-ship missiles. This proposal is part of a $7.3 trillion budget suggested to Congress, marking a 1% increase in defense spending. Despite budget constraints and the absence of a current fiscal year spending bill, the administration seeks to address strategic threats, particularly from China.

Critics of the budget’s scope, like House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, argue that it falls short of the nation’s defense needs. “Our defense budget should be built with the goal of deterring the threats facing our nation,” Rogers stated, emphasizing the challenge of aligning defense priorities with budgetary limits. “Instead, we are forced to build a budget to meet an arbitrary number. I worry about the long-term impact this budget process will have on our national defense.”

Central to the budget is a first-time request for $500 million to support Taiwan by replenishing US weapon stockpiles—a move the Department of Defense says is aimed at deterring aggression and bolstering regional allies.

Other Major Provisions in the Proposed Pentagon Budget:

• Taiwan Support: $500 million to replenish weapons for Taiwan, enhancing deterrence against regional aggression.
• State Department Security Investment: $100 million for Taiwan’s security, marking a historic commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
• Anti-Ship Capabilities Expansion: Increased funding for the development and procurement of anti-ship missiles, including the Standard Missile-6, anti-ship cruise missiles by Lockheed Martin Corp., and a Maritime Strike Tomahawk by RTX Corp.
• Military Exercises in the Pacific: An increase in the budget for military exercises, with the Army planning to fund 11 exercises in fiscal 2025, up from the previous year.
• Pacific Deterrence Initiative: A budget of $9.9 billion, an $800 million increase, to enhance US forces and facilities in the Pacific region.
• Extended-Range Anti-Ship Missiles: Additional purchases of extended-range anti-ship missiles to neutralize threats and ensure access to strategic areas.
• Missile Procurement: Significant investments in anti-radar missiles, long-range anti-ship missiles, and precision strike missiles to enhance US military capabilities.
• Ammunition Procurement: $5.1 billion for Army and Navy ammunition procurement, addressing the needs for various missile and artillery systems.
• Artillery and Night Vision Technology: Adjustments to artillery strategies and increased funding for night vision goggles by Microsoft Corp., focusing on modernizing the Army’s capabilities.