US EditionTrump signs $1 trillion annual defense bill without fanfare
The $901 billion bill includes a 3.8% military pay raise, $800 million aid for Ukraine, and limits cuts to U.S. forces in Europe, with bipartisan support in Congress.
- President Donald Trump quietly signed the nearly $1 trillion 2026 National Defense Authorization Act on Dec 18 at 6 p.m. in a White House event, with no ceremony.
- The NDAA, an annual measure, has been enacted for 65 consecutive years and the White House said Donald Trump backed it for codifying his 2025 executive orders, including funding the Golden Dome missile defence program and removing diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the Pentagon.
- Lawmakers approved funding that includes a record $901 billion annual defence authorisation, $8 billion more than Donald Trump requested, with $800 million for Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and $175 million for Baltic Security Initiative.
- Congress imposed oversight steps by withholding a quarter of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's travel budget until full footage of the Sept 2 strike on an alleged drug vessel is provided, while restricting U.S. troops in Europe from falling below 76,000 for over 45 days.
- Despite Mr Trump’s scepticism and a National Security Strategy seen as friendly to Russia, the NDAA strengthens Europe and targets Chinese biotech and investment amid fragile U.S.-China trade tensions.
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81 Articles
With US$901 billion in military spending, the US is providing unprecedented resources while confirming the decline in aid in Kiev.
$800 million is earmarked for Ukraine's assistance.
Albanian-American activist Harry Bajraktari has announced that US President Donald Trump has signed the National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes over 901 billion dollars for defense programs and which also includes Kosovo. Bajraktari wrote in a Facebook post that this reflects the weight and importance that the White House and the US Congress attach to the security of Kosovo and the stability of the Western Balkans. Read Bajraktari's…
US President Donald Trump on Thursday approved a $901 billion defense budget, which includes support for the Baltic states and Ukraine, among other things.
US President Donald Trump has signed a bill on defense spending for 2026, according to the official White House web portal.
Contrary to the US President's political line, the law contains several provisions to strengthen security in Europe
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