Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Trump Promises Bigger Pentagon Budgets Coming

Jeff Seldin

   PENTAGON - U.S. President Donald Trump may not be done building up the
   country's military.

   Speaking at a welcoming ceremony at the Pentagon for newly sworn-in
   Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Thursday, Trump hinted he is planning
   to continue to increase the Defense Department budget.

   "We had a budget approved when I first came in, billions and billions
   of dollars more than it was previously," Trump said. "Then I went to
   $716 billion."

   "And I won't tell you what this one is. I can only tell you it is even
   more," he added.

   A budget deal announced Tuesday by the White House and congressional
   leaders calls for $738 billion in defense spending in 2020 and another
   almost $741 billion in 2021.

   Lawmakers in the House of Representatives approved the deal late
   Thursday. The U.S. Senate, which must also approve the deal, is set to
   vote next week.

   Before coming to the Pentagon Thursday, Trump expressed support for the
   agreement on Twitter, telling lawmakers they "should support the TWO
   YEAR BUDGET AGREEMENT which greatly helps our Military and our Vets."

     House Republicans should support the TWO YEAR BUDGET AGREEMENT which
     greatly helps our Military and our Vets. I am totally with you!
     -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) [1]July 25, 2019

   But in his comments during Esper's welcoming ceremony, Trump said he
   wanted to give the military more, "ensuring American dominance across
   every war-fighting domain."

   "We're building new tanks and ships and submarines and planes and
   missile systems to ensure that our warriors operate with unrivaled
   capability in conflict," he said. "We've upgraded our nuclear
   [capability] very, very powerfully. '¦ Pray to God we never have to use
   it."

   "Any battlefield will be a battlefield on which we win," Trump added.

References

   1. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1154375992938549248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

.