Defense spending

Trump military agenda could cost nearly $700B extra over 10 years

President Trump’s military agenda may cost the United Stated an extra $683 billion over the next 10 years.

A Feb. 5 Congressional Budget Office report takes into account the cost of Trump’s plans to expand the military during his time in office compared to the Obama administration’s plans.

Trump’s goals include increasing the Navy fleet to 355 ships. The current naval fleet is 279 and is planned to reach 308.

The goals increase Army end strength from 460,000 to 540,000, add five more fighter squadrons to the Air Force and increase Marine Corps end strength by 13,000.

The military would need at least $342 billion to reach those goals. Additionally, the military would spend an extra $50 billion annually by 2027 to maintain those goals.

The increase in Navy ships would cost $20 billion per year and would continue to grow, the larger Army would cost $22 billion a year and the extra Air Force squadrons would cost $8 billion a year.