Washington, 22 July (H.S.): The United States Armed Forces urgently require $1.5 trillion (approximately Rs 130 lakh crore) to address current and future security challenges, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine told the US Senate on Tuesday while seeking approval for additional defence funding.

General Kane urged the Senate to approve President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defence budget, saying the additional funds were essential to prepare the US military for future threats, increase investments in critical technologies and maintain an edge over adversaries.

According to CNN, General Caine testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee, alongside US War Secretary Pete Hegseth. President Donald Trump has already announced a historic proposal to increase the defence budget to $1.5 trillion, marking a significant rise compared to previous years. The proposal also includes cuts to several domestic programmes to accommodate increased military spending.

“I am here today to ask for your support. The armed forces need $1.5 trillion. This additional funding is a part of that requirement,” General Caine told lawmakers. He requested the Senate’s approval to utilise the funds for military personnel salaries, operational and maintenance expenses, and greater investment in advanced technologies.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the additional funding would strengthen America’s ability to continue operations in the Strait of Hormuz and counter strategic rivals such as Russia and China. He described the current global environment as increasingly dangerous and stressed the need for “bold and immediate action”, which prompted the additional defence request for the 2026 fiscal year.

The proposal triggered mixed reactions among US lawmakers. Republican Senator John Kennedy said Congress and the American public needed clearer answers from the Pentagon regarding the ongoing military commitments. He said lawmakers must explain why the US entered certain conflicts, how it plans to exit them, and how it intends to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability.

Democratic Senator Dick Durbin criticised the testimony, saying General Caine and Hegseth failed to justify the projected war expenditure. He alleged that officials had not provided sufficient details on how the requested funds would be spent.

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen also accused the Trump administration of lacking clarity over its military strategy. However, Republican Senator John Hovde defended the spending, saying the billions being allocated were necessary because preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remained a major security priority.

He said that addressing the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions was a task the United States could not ignore.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar