Republican lawmakers are advancing a $150 billion defense package that allocates $27 billion to President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome missile defense system. The funding is part of a broader tax reform bill that includes $5 trillion in tax cuts over the next decade.
The defense package, negotiated by Republican leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, adds $150 billion to the already approved $886 billion national security budget for 2025. The legislation is expected to be unveiled as soon as Friday evening.
The $27 billion investment in the Golden Dome program will fund the construction of additional missile interceptors and the procurement of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) antiballistic missile batteries, manufactured by Lockheed Martin. Elon Musk’s SpaceX and two partners are leading contenders to secure contracts for tracking incoming missiles as part of the Golden Dome initiative.
The bill also allocates $29 billion to procure 14 new warships, including a significant investment in unmanned vessels. An additional $5 billion is designated for the development of autonomous systems, marking a substantial increase from the $500 million allocated by the previous administration. Furthermore, the package includes $20 billion for producing new munitions, expanding the country’s supplier base, and replenishing critical mineral stockpiles.
Notably, much of the funding in this package will not expire at the end of the fiscal year, providing a sustained boost to the nation’s defense capabilities. The measure will proceed through the reconciliation process, allowing it to pass with a simple majority vote in Congress, bypassing the standard 60-vote threshold required for most legislation.
