U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, Republican from Mississippi and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, along with U.S. Representative Mike Rogers, Republican from Alabama and Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, have expressed support for President Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027.
In a joint statement, Wicker and Rogers said: “We commend President Trump for committing to a $1.5 trillion defense budget. This is exactly the kind of investment it will take to rebuild our military and restore American leadership on the world stage.
America faces intensifying global threats from China, Russia, Iran, and narco-terrorists. This substantial increase in defense spending is therefore both timely and essential. We are also leading by example by bringing U.S. defense spending to approximately 5% of our GDP, which is what we expect from our NATO allies.
“Increased investment will lead to tangible hard power: accelerated shipbuilding and aircraft production, a modernized arsenal, and innovative technologies that ensure our warfighters remain unmatched. These efforts prioritize the needs of our men and women in uniform and deliver the ‘Dream Military’ President Trump has envisioned.
“Leaders across the political spectrum have long been proud to call the U.S. military the most powerful in the world. They have vowed never to let it fall behind. Yet too many have failed to match those words with resources and action. The previous administration resisted adequate military funding, instead settling for depleted stockpiles, aging equipment, and worsening recruitment challenges.
“President Trump’s decisive commitment reverses these years of neglect. He is replacing rhetoric with investment and sending a message to our adversaries. America can and will defend the homeland and stand with our allies. We share the president’s ultimate desire for peace, and we agree that it will only be achieved through strength, by preventing conflict before it begins.
“As we welcome this step, we are ready to continue working with President Trump and Secretary Hegseth to rebuild America’s military and get this budget passed into law.”
Senator Wicker has served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee since joining the Senate in December 2007 after his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives (official website). He represents Mississippi in Congress as a Republican senator (official website) where he leads national defense initiatives including advancing naval capabilities through legislation such as authoring the SHIPS Act (official website). Wicker’s public service career began after serving in the U.S. Air Force; he has also held positions in state government (official website).
Wicker sits on several committees focused on defense policy (official website) as well as boards like that of visitors for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (official website). He has been recognized by organizations such as the National Association of Manufacturers for his policy work (official website). Additionally, he co-founded caucuses aimed at supporting global health initiatives like malaria prevention (official website).