DNC: Trump’s 2027 defense request would be biggest increase since WWII — inflation-adjusted data supports claim

The Democratic National Committee argued on April 3, 2026, that President Donald Trump’s proposed fiscal 2027 military budget would deliver “the largest spending increase since World War II.” Analyses that adjust for inflation support that framing, though a different way of measuring puts Korean War-era spikes ahead.

Trump’s budget request seeks $1.5 trillion for national defense in fiscal year 2027 — about $500 billion more than the United States allocated in fiscal 2026. If the plan is approved, that would raise total defense funding by about 44%.

The White House highlighted the scale of the jump, saying it was “approaching the historic increases just prior to World War II.” Beyond Trump’s preliminary budget request, he could request additional funds to support the Iran war. The broader budget plan pairs the defense increase with significant cuts to other federal programs.

How the comparison is made matters. Using a straight year-over-year percentage increase in actual dollars, the biggest surges came during wartime mobilizations. After the U.S. entered World War II following the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, Congress approved a 1942 budget that lifted military spending by 299% over 1941, according to the Office of Management and Budget’s Historical Tables.

During the Korean War, the military budget rose by about 72% from 1950 to 1951 and by about 96% from 1951 to 1952. By this nominal percentage metric, Trump’s 44% increase would be the largest since the Korean War, and the third largest since World War II. Adjusting for inflation strengthens the DNC’s claim.

In supporting its case, the DNC cited news coverage, White House materials and federal budget analyses that account for changes in purchasing power. Todd Harrison of the American Enterprise Institute recommended using OMB inflation data to gauge costs of defense-related purchases such as jet fuel and steel.

Using that data, Jessica Riedl of the Brookings Institution adjusted historical budgets to 2026 dollars. Her analysis shows World War II increases of about $310 billion from 1941 to 1942 and $611 billion from 1942 to 1943. By comparison, Korean War spending rose by about $95 billion from 1950 to 1951 on an inflation-adjusted basis.

On that inflation-adjusted yardstick, Trump’s 2027 defense request would set a new annual high, exceeding the previous record of $1.2 trillion during World War II. Records cited in these analyses align with the DNC’s characterization when inflation is factored in, while the nominal percentage view leaves Korean War surges as the standouts.

If enacted, the proposal would mark a roughly 44% increase in defense funding over 2026 levels.