Senators are leaving town no closer to enacting the crown jewel of the Defense secretary’s agenda.
But now that GOP unity is splintering under the weight of President Donald Trump’s party-line push for the biggest defense budget in modern history.
Senators left town last week for their summer break no closer to enacting the crown jewel of Hegseth’s agenda, a $1.5 trillion defense budget that would stamp Trump’s mark across the military, from new battleships to a Golden Dome missile defense shield.
Hegseth hasn’t persuaded Republicans to steamroll Democrats and advance the record-breaking plan, despite regularly trekking to the Hill in recent weeks and hobnobbing with lawmakers. Instead, an increasingly vocal group of GOP lawmakers argue the administration hasn’t explained why Republicans should burn valuable political capital in pursuit of Trump’s vision — especially with the midterms just months away.
“So much of that additional defense funding is banking on not only a third, but potentially a fourth reconciliation [bill],” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). “So what if that doesn’t come? I’ve asked [Pentagon officials]: you have your F-35s, your Patriot missiles baked into that — what’s your plan B? And it’s been tough to get an answer.”
Several top Republicans are skeptical about the Trump administration’s two-track approach to clinching $1.5 trillion. This relies on the GOP using the partisan reconciliation process — which allows the majority to bypass Democrats entirely — to provide $350 billion, the bulk of the increase.
Many Republicans back more defense funding. And some defense hawks have even trumpeted the administration’s $1.5 trillion request as a long overdue investment in U.S. hard power. But the effort threatens to expose Republicans to politically risky votes ahead of hotly contested midterm elections.
Some top GOP hawks have also argued the approach gives too much spending power to the White House. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and top defense appropriator Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) — who both opposed Hegseth’s nomination last year — have expressed skepticism that any additional party-line bills could advance.
“At the moment, there’s not a path forward for a supplemental, and it’s tied up with whether or not we have a reconciliation,” said Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a defense booster who sees no current way to unlock Hegseth’s landmark defense budget.
The situation is testing the limits of a Republican majority that has — mostly — had Hegseth’s back.
Hegseth’s tenure began on shaky footing. Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie to confirm him after a messy nomination that involved three fellow Republicans opposing Trump’s pick.
But since then, Republican lawmakers have batted down most efforts to rein in Hegseth, including over the five-month-long Iran war, a military campaign against suspected drug traffickers in Latin America and the deployment of National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities. He’s also escaped largely unscathed from revelations about his and other administration officials’ use of Signal to discuss sensitive military operations, mass firings of senior officers and withholding certain top promotions.
Despite those controversies, Hegseth still has the president’s favor. Trump sprung to Hegseth’s defense following reports this week that the president pressured his Pentagon chief for answers over critically low munitions stockpiles resulting from the Iran conflict.
“I am extremely happy with the job that Pete Hegseth is doing. Everything has been extraordinary,” Trump said Thursday in a Truth Social post. “Pete is highly respected within the Military, and has made tremendous improvements, including getting rid of DEI, and increasing recruitment to historic levels.”
Republicans have handed the Pentagon some key wins. GOP leaders boosted military spending by $150 billion last year with their party-line One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Republicans also united in support of Hegseth with votes this year to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War and further gut diversity and inclusion efforts in the ranks.
But now Hegseth wants Congress to pass tens, if not hundreds, of billions of dollars in new spending for the military.
First, he and other administration officials want GOP lawmakers to pony up $60 billion for the Iran war using reconciliation as well. The goal is to circumvent irate Democrats who oppose the conflict. An initial plan narrowly cleared the House but has stalled in the Senate.
Then, Hegseth argues, lawmakers need to back the $1.5 trillion blueprint to ensure the military can meet worldwide challenges.
Watch: The Conversation
Dasha Burns presses Mike Johnson on the economy, Iran and Trump's agenda
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Dasha Burns presses Mike Johnson on the economy, Iran and Trump's agenda
“Not funding this department at 1.5 trillion, I believe, is the greatest threat that our nation faces,” Hegseth warned senators last month in a hearing. “Either we invest in our warriors at this moment of ... growing threats, or this is all just talk.”
Both the narrow war funding request and the even larger budget proposal are foundering on the Hill as Republicans grapple with what they can pass before November and aim to avoid political pitfalls that could cost them control of Congress. If successful, the two proposals would mark the third and fourth time Republicans have used the complex reconciliation process to ram through Trump’s priorities in the past two years.
Another GOP stalwart, Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, indicated that Trump and Hegseth’s proposal is far from a reality. “We’ve got more work to do to get it done,” he said.
The Pentagon under Hegseth has also stoked bipartisan anger with its relatively dismissive approach to Congress. Top Republicans and Democrats say they lack critical information onmilitary operations and spending and have been left in the dark on major decisions.
Republicans in particular have flamed the Pentagon over efforts to scale back U.S. military commitments in Europe. Defense bills produced by Senate and House Republicans place limits on reductions in U.S. troops from the continent.
Democrats, who would be sidelined in any reconciliation process, predict an uphill battle for the Trump administration after a year and a half of stonewalling its own party.
“He’ll have a hard time justifying a trillion and a half dollars to Republicans who are demanding information along with all of us,” predicted Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a frequent critic of Hegseth and Trump.