WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump requested a $88 billion emergency supplemental funding package from Congress on Wednesday to address expenses from the four-month conflict in Iran, support agriculture, and combat the Ebola virus. The proposal allocates $67.1 billion to the Department of Defense, prioritizing $21 billion to purchase munitions and rebuild missile stockpiles depleted during the conflict. The defense portion also designates $17.3 billion for operations, $5.1 billion for cybersecurity and autonomy efforts, $2.4 billion for drones, $1.7 billion for military readiness, and $1.5 billion for fuel costs, alongside $12.1 billion for classified programs.
The defense acquisition and operational requests arrive as the White House pushes for a record $1.5 trillion military budget, though the total supplemental package is lower than the $200 billion figure previously under consideration. Beyond defense, the measure allocates $11.1 billion in direct farm assistance and $1.4 billion for Ebola virus response in Central Africa, alongside provisions addressing full-spectrum CBD regulation and year-round E15 fuel sales. The funding request faces legislative hurdles in the Senate, where lawmakers from both parties express caution over new spending, and opposition is expected from Democrats who contest the legality of the conflict.
