Pentagon Plans $5 Billion for Border, Bets on Trump Bill to Fill Funding Gaps
Military.com | By Thomas Novelly , Konstantin Toropin , Steve Beynon and Drew F. Lawrence
Published June 26, 2025 at 7:13pm ET
The Pentagon said Thursday that more than $5 billion is being budgeted in the upcoming year for the Trump administration's military operation at the U.S. southern border -- and that some unrelated military projects may need to be pushed aside.
But defense officials, who briefed the press on annual budget plans, said they are betting on a Trump agenda bill in Congress to backfill any money pulled from current military funds to pay for border operations. The services have paid for the deployment of thousands of troops to the U.S.-Mexico border and to Los Angeles amid immigration raid protests by shifting funds meant for barracks and other operations.
The budget plans for fiscal 2026 were released -- though with less detail than was typical of past Defense Department budgets -- as President Donald Trump is pursuing mass deportations across the country and expanding the role of the military in immigration and border security, including surging
Defense officials spoke to the press about the budget plans only on condition of anonymity. In the past, the Pentagon has rolled out its annual budgets with military and civilian officials speaking on the record.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/26/pentagon-plans-5-billion-border-bets-trump-bill-fill-funding-gaps.html
