Friday, April 19, 2024
Friday, April 19, 2024
Topline totals for President Trump's fiscal year 2018 budget request have leaked in advance of the official rollout planned for Tuesday, according to a DC-based think tank.
Late Thursday, Third Way released a copy of an Excel spreadsheet dated May 8 with numbers it said detailed Trump's budget proposal.
“With the interest of the American public in mind -- and as nothing in this document would be deemed classified material -- we are releasing this document for all to see,” according to a statement from Third Way.
Sources on Capitol Hill said the document appeared legitimate and was being taken seriously by congressional staffers.
The document shows a total request for the Defense Department of $639.7 billion.
Byron Callan, a defense analyst with Capital Alpha Partners, wrote in a note to clients the defense portion of the spreadsheet appears to reflect the FY-18 “skinny budget” the administration announced in March. Callan notes the total request appears to “comport to a base budget request of $575 billion in the base budget and $65 billion in [Overseas Contingency Operations].”
The document also shows a total defense procurement request of $125 billion; $83 billion for research, development, test and engineering; and $272 billion for operations and maintenance.
Meanwhile, Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), chairwoman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, said Thursday Congress stands ready to tweak Trump's budget, which will propose a $54 billion increase in defense spending offset by a commensurate cut in non-defense funds.
"That's the president's budget, not the Congress' budget -- I say that with a smile," she said during a Washington breakfast hosted by Bloomberg Government.
"We control the purse," she continued. "What we're going to say is how much can we fund and over what period. To rebuild our military, it's not going to happen in one year. It's not going to happen in one term. We're talking about five years."
Though Granger supports Trump's proposed $603 billion defense topline, she said she opposes the administration’s request to cut State Department funding by 28 percent, including most foreign aid programs.
Keep an eye on Inside Defense for more news analysis throughout the day.