Republican senators say President Joe Biden increasing the nation’s defense budget by just a slim margin sends a ''terrible signal not only to our adversaries in Beijing and Moscow, but also to our allies and partners.''
Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Marco Rubio of Florida, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma and Richard Shelby of Alabama made the comments in a joint statement issued Friday following the release of Biden’s fiscal year 2022 budget that included a 1.7 percent increase in the defense budget to $753 billion.
The president has proposed a 16 percent increase in non-defense spending.
The senators pointed to China as a reason for a more dramatic increase.
''Over the past decade, China’s defense spending has increased by $200 billion while America’s decreased by $400 billion. China’s military investments match its desire to out-compete America and hold our military forces at risk,'' they wrote. ''President Biden’s defense spending cut doesn’t even keep up with inflation. …
"If President Biden’s support for America’s military matched his zeal for spending at home, China would get nowhere close to overtaking us,'' the Republican senators wrote. ''President Biden’s budget proposal cuts defense spending, sending a terrible signal not only to our adversaries in Beijing and Moscow, but also to our allies and partners.''
Biden on Friday proposed $1.52 trillion in spending on domestic discretionary programs that would significantly bolster health research, education and fighting climate change.
Some progressives balked at the defense increase.
''A proposed increase of $13 billion in defense spending is far too much given its already rapid growth at a time of relative peace. We cannot best build back better if the Pentagon’s budget is larger than it was under Donald Trump,'' Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., said in a statement.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in a statement, ''At a time when the U.S. already spends more on the military than the next 12 nations combined, it is time for us to take a serious look at the massive cost overruns, the waste and fraud that currently exists at the Pentagon.''
The White House in a fact sheet said the defense budget ''prioritizes the need to counter the threat from China as the department’s top challenge'' and ''proposes executable and responsible investments'' in the Navy fleet, ''supports ongoing nuclear modernization programs while ensuring that these efforts are sustainable,'' and ''continues to ensure that U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and guardians remain the best trained and equipped force in the world.''
It also said the budget would support ''efforts to plan for and mitigate impacts of climate change'' on DoD facilities and invest in ''power and energy research and development.''
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.