Details Emerge From President’s Budget: Trump To Boost Defense Spending By $54BN

Monday, February 27, 2017
By Paul Martin

by Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge.com
Feb 27, 2017

As observed earlier in the day, as part of the leaked preliminary Trump budget, the president was set to unveil major spending increases for US defense offset by cuts to federal agencies, and other non-defense sectors. Moments ago, the first details emerged, including that the boost to defense spending is expected to be in the range $54 billion, and will be revenue neutral, offset by cuts in non-defense areas, and will not “add a dime to the deficit.”

The White House is sending a topline budget proposal reflecting those figures to federal agencies on Monday afternoon, according to an Office of Management and Budget official. The official provided no specific details during a call with reporters about the rest of the budget, including the baseline figure being used for the cuts or over what period they would be made.

To offset the defense spending increase, the White House is seeking corresponding cuts of $54 billion in non-defense categories, including “large spending cuts” to foreign aid, the EPA, the State Department and safety programs. The official also added that most agencies would see funding reductions.

“Most federal agencies will see a reduction as a result,” the official said, with cuts falling most heavily on “lower priority” programs as well as foreign aid. When asked where the extra $54 billion will be spent, the official said “predominantly it will go to the Pentagon,” but declined to name specific offices.

The Rest…HERE

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