The Trump administration needs to help Congress pass a defense appropriations bill "that makes the historic investments needed to restore peace through strength," according to Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
In a Wall Street Journal opinion column Tuesday, McConnell argued that the U.S. faces a dangerous convergence of global threats — what War Secretary Pete Hegseth has called a "1939 moment," or hopefully a "1981 moment" akin to former President Ronald Reagan's buildup.
McConnell backed Hegseth's warning but stressed the real lesson of 1939 is that war is far more expensive than deterrence.
McConnell, former Senate GOP leader, noted that defeating the Axis powers drove U.S. defense spending to about 37% of GDP, a price America paid after failing to deter conflict early.
McConnell contended the administration's budget posture risks repeating the "underinvestment" mistakes Reagan reversed.
While Reagan-era "peace through strength" budgets devoted roughly double today's share of GDP to defense, McConnell wrote that the Office of Management and Budget's fiscal 2026 request would effectively keep spending flat against inflation, even as the U.S. faces multiple serious adversaries.
McConnell praised President Donald Trump for rejecting isolationist pressure and for what he called decisive action abroad, including strikes against Iran, while sustaining major security partnerships such as AUKUS with Australia and the United Kingdom.
McConnell also said Trump's priorities, including a nationwide missile-defense initiative dubbed "Golden Dome" and a shipbuilding "renaissance," align with restoring American hard power, but warned those priorities will fail without sustained, long-term funding.
The problem, McConnell argued, is that the administration has sent mixed signals on resources.
He faulted budget advisers for pushing a full-year continuing resolution earlier this year that effectively extended what he called the Biden administration's "anemic" defense levels.
He also criticized efforts to cram long-term projects such as shipbuilding into one-time reconciliation spending, which he said caused "budgetary chaos" and left key programs on the cutting-room floor.
McConnell cited mounting shortfalls: Pentagon leaders have discussed tens of billions in gaps for critical munitions, while regular operations, including heightened tempo in the Middle East and the Western Hemisphere, are straining operations and maintenance accounts.
Against that backdrop, he pointed to congressional action already underway.
The Senate has advanced an annual defense appropriations framework for fiscal year 2026 that goes well above the administration request, with McConnell noting the appropriations effort aims to backfill urgent munitions needs, address reconciliation-related holes, and fund unfunded requirements from the services and combatant commands.
Senate appropriators have moved a Pentagon funding bill totaling roughly $852.5 billion — about $21.7 billion above the White House request — setting up a looming clash with the House as the government approaches another funding deadline.
McConnell's warning was blunt: Another full-year continuing resolution or a bill capped at the OMB level would be "devastating" to the military and could ultimately imperil Trump's defense legacy.
Newsmax Wires contributed to this report.
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Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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