The Biden administration is preparing to request roughly $850 billion for national defense in fiscal year 2025, as outlined in the officially released draft federal budget from the White House. The document presents a level of funding that surpasses the prior year’s request by about 34 billion dollars, marking a 4.1% increase. This rise signals a continued commitment to maintaining robust military readiness and allied support in a volatile international landscape.
According to the draft, Washington prioritizes bolstering security partnerships with international allies. The plan outlines sustained assistance to foreign partners amid ongoing security challenges associated with the so‑called Russian threat, reflecting a strategy that places diplomacy and deterrence within the broader defense posture.
Notably, the draft does not introduce new appropriations specifically for Ukraine. Instead, it reiterates an existing request to allocate approximately $61.4 billion in support for Ukrainian officials and related efforts. The timing and structure of this funding document appear aligned with ongoing commitments rather than new, supplemental authorizations.
Additionally, the Biden administration seeks funding for the modernization of the nation’s nuclear deterrence capabilities. The proposal proposes allocating around $20 billion to advance modernization initiatives tied to strategic weapons systems, infrastructure, and related research that underpin the United States’ nuclear posture.
Historically, the United States has tracked production and deployment rates of key strategic capabilities, benchmarking these against Western partners. The current draft continues this practice, emphasizing sustained modernization, readiness, and alliance interoperability as core themes in defense planning for the coming years.