Quick summary:
• U.S. defense spending is nearing $1 trillion, exceeding the combined military budgets of the next nine countries.
• Sanders condemns the Pentagon’s repeated audit failures and lack of accountability for $4 trillion in assets.
• Private contractors have profited $57 billion since 2022, despite fines for fraud and inflated costs.
• Half a million Americans are homeless while military spending dominates discretionary funds.
• Defense contractors’ lobbying secures bloated budgets while basic domestic needs remain underfunded.
• Global militarism, including record U.S. aid to Israel, worsens conflict and undermines human rights.
• Sanders calls for reallocating resources to address domestic crises and reduce defense industry influence.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) announced his decision to vote against the $900 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this week, condemning the immense military budget as emblematic of misplaced priorities. With U.S. military spending exceeding that of the next nine top-spending countries combined, Sanders argued the Pentagon’s unchecked financial growth is both fiscally irresponsible and morally untenable, particularly as millions of Americans face economic insecurity.
“We do not need to spend almost a trillion dollars on the military, while half a million Americans are homeless and children go hungry,” Sanders wrote in a Guardian op-ed.
The U.S. is set to allocate nearly $850 billion directly to the Department of Defense in FY 2025, with additional funding for nuclear programs and emergency spending likely pushing the total to $1 trillion. Including veterans’ aid and other military-related programs, the broader militarism budget swells to an astronomical $1.6 trillion, according to the National Priorities Project. As Sanders noted, this surpasses even the inflation-adjusted annual spending during World War II.
Despite this unparalleled level of investment, the Pentagon has failed seven consecutive audits, unable to account for more than $4 trillion in assets. Sanders criticized this lack of transparency, pointing to widespread inefficiencies and abuses within the military-industrial complex.
“Very few people who have researched the military-industrial complex doubt that there is massive fraud, waste and cost overruns in the system,” Sanders wrote. A staggering 50% of the Pentagon’s annual budget goes to private contractors, he noted, many of whom have been implicated in overcharging and fraudulent practices.
Recent examples include RTX (formerly Raytheon), which was fined $950 million for inflating bills, fabricating labor costs, and paying bribes to secure foreign business. Similarly, Lockheed Martin was fined $70 million for overcharging the Navy for aircraft parts, adding to a long history of cost overruns tied to its F-35 fighter jet program—the most expensive weapons system in history.
Defense contractors Lockheed Martin, RTX, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman have collectively received $353 billion in taxpayer-funded revenue since 2022, netting $57 billion in profits. Instead of reinvesting in innovation or improving efficiencies, these companies spent $61 billion on stock buybacks and dividends over the same period.
These contractors have also maintained their grip on government spending through extensive lobbying efforts. By influencing policymakers, the military-industrial complex has managed to ensure consistently bloated budgets with minimal accountability.
Sanders invoked former President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1961 warning about the dangers of unchecked military spending:
“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.” Eisenhower’s prescient words, Sanders argued, are “even more true today.”
The senator emphasized that unchecked defense spending comes at a direct cost to Americans struggling with economic insecurity. More than half a million people in the U.S. are homeless, and millions of children face hunger. Meanwhile, resources that could address these crises are instead funneled into the military.
The Pentagon’s annual budget also dominates discretionary spending, accounting for more than half of the U.S. government’s total. This imbalance leaves little room for investment in critical areas like healthcare, education, and climate resilience.
Beyond domestic consequences, U.S. military spending fuels global instability. In the first year of Israel’s campaign in Gaza, the U.S. sent $18 billion in military aid to the country—a record high. Another $20 billion is slated for delivery soon, despite mounting international criticism of Israel’s actions, which include alleged war crimes and ethnic cleansing.
The U.S. also continues to support military operations in Syria, Lebanon, and other regions, often exacerbating conflicts and civilian casualties. This global militarism undermines diplomatic efforts and tarnishes the nation’s credibility on human rights.
While Sanders’ opposition to the NDAA is clear, the legislation enjoys broad bipartisan support, making his vote largely symbolic. However, the bill’s passage is not guaranteed due to other contentious provisions, such as a proposed permanent ban on transgender healthcare for minors. Critics, including the Human Rights Campaign, argue this provision is an unnecessary and harmful distraction in a defense bill.
“This cruel and hateful bill suddenly strips away access to medical care for families that members of our armed forces are counting on,” said Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign.
Sanders’ rejection of the NDAA is not merely a critique of this year’s budget but a broader call for systemic change. He advocates for reallocating resources to address pressing domestic issues like homelessness, food insecurity, and healthcare. Additionally, Sanders has called for stronger oversight of the Pentagon to combat waste and fraud, as well as measures to reduce the outsized influence of defense contractors on policymaking.
The Vermont senator’s stance highlights the need for a fundamental shift in national priorities. As he concluded:
“We do not need to spend almost a trillion dollars on the military, while half a million Americans are homeless and children go hungry.”
To find your local member of Congress and ask them to vote yay or nay on the defense budget, click here.
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