ACTION ALERT: Tell Congress to Reject The $1.5 Trillion Pentagon Budget

President Trump has requested congressional approval for a $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget. This follows Congress’s approval of $153.3 billion in supplemental military funding last year, bringing total military spending for fiscal year 2026 to more than $1 trillion.

As United Methodists, we are called to advocate for the least among us, ensuring that each person’s needs are met. United Methodist Social Principles state, “We grieve that in a world where so many live in poverty, governments continue to dedicate enormous resources to preparing for and conducting wars” (Social Principles ¶ 163.F).

Scripture states, “And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4)

There is no justification for a 50 percent increase to the military budget. A $1.5 trillion U.S. defense budget would account for more than half of global military spending, far outpacing that of any other nation. The Pentagon has never passed an audit and its budget is already replete with waste and fraud. The military should not be given more money, especially as it conducts an illegal war in Iran.

The proposed budget also includes billions in new funding for ICE and Customs and Border Protection, alongside cuts to domestic priorities. More spending on militarization and deportations will not make us safer. True human security means prioritizing our communities both at home and abroad, and choosing grace over endless war and greed.

Take action below to call on your Representatives and Senators to reject the proposed $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget and oppose any increase in Pentagon funding for FY 2027. Instead, lawmakers should prioritize funding for community needs such as SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, education, and housing assistance, and invest in alternatives to militarism, such as foreign aid and peacebuilding.