Trump's budget blueprint to be released March 16

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said today that Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney will release the Trump administration's "skinny budget" for fiscal year 2018 on March 16.

Congressional staffers also expect a request for supplemental FY-17 defense spending, along with funds for President Trump's proposed wall on the southern border with Mexico, to be released March 16. The final FY-18 budget request is due to Congress in May.

On Feb. 27, the White House announced plans to boost defense spending by $54 billion in FY-18 above the $549 billion cap mandated by the 2011 Budget Control Act. The increase, which would bring total defense spending to $603 billion, would be paid for by steep cuts to domestic agencies.

The budget would provide the Pentagon with a $573 billion base topline and would amount to a 3 percent increase, or $17 billion above what the Obama administration had planned.

The proposal has drawn opposition from GOP defense hawks who seek a $640 billion topline for base defense spending.

Meanwhile, the House passed the FY-17 defense appropriations bill Wednesday, which now advances to the Senate for passage. However, the White House is finalizing an FY-17 supplemental package that is expected to request an additional $30 billion in defense spending.