President Donald Trump told the nation’s governors that his first budget would include “a historic increase in defense spending.” But defense experts say that’s not the case.
Trump’s Defense Increase ‘Historic’?
Issues: defense spending
Kasich’s Post-Cold War Defense Cuts
A pro-Jeb Bush super PAC says John Kasich “voted with Nancy Pelosi to cut troop levels and military funding.” That’s true. But those votes came at a time when the debate was not whether to reduce troops or defense spending, but by how much.
Ad Attacks Cruz as ‘Weak’ on Defense
An ad from a conservative advocacy group attacks Sen. Ted Cruz as “weak” on defense, but makes several misleading claims to back up that assessment.
Cruz’s Misleading Ad on Military Cuts
A Ted Cruz TV ad in South Carolina blames President Obama for “threatening 3,000 jobs at Fort Jackson.” Actually, only 180 jobs were cut. The potential for deeper cuts was avoided by a bill signed last year by Obama — and opposed by Cruz.
Cruz’s Conservative Credentials
A pro-Rand Paul super PAC cherry picks two fiscal votes to label Sen. Ted Cruz as a “phony” conservative. In fact, fiscal conservative groups that score congressional votes rank both presidential candidates as among the most conservative in the Senate.
Rick Perry’s Talking Point on Defense Cuts
Rick Perry says the U.S. is at risk because “our spending on defense has declined 21 percent over four years.” But that includes war funding, which has sharply declined now that U.S. combat troops are out of Iraq and leaving Afghanistan.
Aiken’s Attack Ad Is Off-Key
Clay Aiken’s latest attack ad against incumbent Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers hits a couple of bad notes.
Hagel Shifts Sequester Blame to Congress
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel blames Congress — and absolves President Obama — for the automatic budget cuts known as the sequester. But Obama supported and signed the bill that triggered the cuts.
Is Obama to Blame for Lockheed’s 123,000 ‘Layoffs’?
Q: Is Lockheed Martin going to lay off 123,000 workers because of President Obama’s downsizing of the military?
A: No. Lockheed gave a “very rough” estimate of 10,000 potential layoffs (not 123,000) due to automatic spending cuts triggered by a 2011 bipartisan deficit-reduction bill. Obama and Congress are negotiating to avoid the cuts.
Obama Inflates Defense ‘Cut’
President Obama's claim "that we've already cut" $400 billion in defense spending is misleading. The president was referring to a Defense Department report that identified $178 billion in "efficiencies" over five years — which the administration says will save $400 billion over 10 years. But only $78 billion of the $178 billion represents actual cuts; the rest of the identified efficiencies will be reinvested in other Pentagon programs.
The president more than once has claimed he cut defense spending by $400 billion,