Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week the Trump administration plans to continue its push for at least $350 billion, “potentially more,” in defense funds via the reconciliation process “regardless of what happens in the midterms.” 

Hegseth’s doubling down on the push for a $1.5 trillion fiscal 2027 defense topline, to include the $350 billion sought through reconciliation, comes amid the department’s move to establish a new four-star Autonomous Warfare Command. He noted the mandatory spending request, or government funding channeled through any avenue other than annual appropriations, includes more than $50 billion for unmanned systems. 

“We’re lockstep on that with the White House. We’ll ensure, regardless of what happens in the midterms, we’re running fast immediately with the [congressional] committees to ensure that that reconciliation bill,” Hegseth said during a panel discussion at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference in Washington D.C., “at a minimum of $350 [billion for defense], potentially more, ultimately fills up what this department needs in order for the president to ensure that we reestablish deterrence and rebuild the military around the world.”

“It’s not hyperbolic to state whether or not we rebuild our military to meet the threats of the future will depend on funding the president’s vision for $1.5 trillion,” Hegseth added. “And our goal, come hell or high water, and we’re working shoulder to shoulder with the [Joint Chiefs] chairman and the joint staff to get it, is to make sure we hit that number on behalf of the president and the country.”

While the government is currently operating under stopgap funding legislation with Congress having yet to pass final fiscal ‘27 appropriations bills or a negotiated reconciliation bill, Hegseth said Pentagon leaders’ “number one priority” is ensuring the department secures the full $1.5 trillion request. 

“Especially when you look at the deferred maintenance and the [continuing resolutions] that the services have had to endure for years and years and the chronic underfunding that’s existed,” Hegseth said. “Add that to the bureaucracy which adds more to the personnel costs and exquisite systems which crowds out [operations and maintenance funding] and certainly doesn’t leave any opening for any new innovations or new investments or new entrants.”

Prospects for passing another GOP-led reconciliation bill remain tenuous, with many lawmakers having yet to back the large defense spending request, to include lead Republican appropriations pushing back against the use of mandatory rather than discretionary funding for several top Pentagon priorities, and with Congress potentially facing a change in majority control in the next Congress following the upcoming midterms.

“The president recognizes all of this and said, ‘Hey, we would love to do it through the regular budget process but if we cannot then we’ll do it through reconciliation.’ And we will ensure, whether it’s $350 [billion] as a minimum [in] a reconciliation bill or more, that we meet the president’s expectation,” Hegseth said on Wednesday. 

Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily first published a version of this story.