Sequestration and chronic underfunding have opened a yawning gap in American strength and readiness.
President Biden has again proposed a vastly inadequate Defense Department budget. His proposal for 2025 is a mere 1% increase from this year’s agreed level. Adjusted for inflation, it’s about $140 billion below the 2010 budget that many analysts, including these pages, deemed insufficient in far less challenging times. While America’s military remains the strongest and most capable in the world, our advantage over potential adversaries has been shrinking rapidly. We must do better if we are to deter our enemies.