Defense Spending

Infographic: The Facts About U.S. Defense Spending

National security is both a vital priority and a significant part of the federal budget. Consequently, negotiating levels of defense spending is often one of the more contentious parts of the budget process. To help put those debates in perspective, the infographic below provides an overview of U.S. defense spending and its place in the overall budget.

The good news is that there are ways of ensuring America’s security while strengthening our fiscal and economic outlook. Read more about the policy options.

Infographic: The Facts About U.S. Defense Spending

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Tweet: How much does the United States spend on defense? https://ctt.ec/AGUbv+ via @pgpfoundation

Defense spending accounts for 13% of all federal spending ini 2024.

Tweet: How much does the federal government spend on defense compared to other priorities? https://ctt.ec/D3UY5+ via @pgpfoundation

Defense spending accounts for 13% of all federal spending and is the single largest category of discretionary spending.

Tweet: The U.S. spends more on defense than the next 9 countries combined. https://ctt.ec/gZ3b3+ via @pgpfoundation

The U.S. spends more on defense than the next 9 countries combined.

Tweet: The U.S. spends more than other countries on defense — both in real dollars and as a percent of GDP. https://ctt.ec/a7zPy+ via @pgpfoundation

The U.S. has historically devoted a larger share of its economy to defense than many of its key allies.

Tweet: U.S. defense spending is currently below its historical average. https://ctt.ec/218X7+ via @pgpfoundation

Total defense spending is currently below its historical average as a share of GDP and its projected to decline further.

Tweet: America's fiscal future and National Security are closely linked. https://ctt.ec/Q8b17+ via @pgpfoundation

America's fiscal and national security are closely linked.

Last Updated September 12, 2025

Further Reading

OBBBA signing

How Did the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Affect Federal Spending?

Overall, the OBBBA adds significantly to the nation’s debt, but the act contains net spending cuts that lessen that impact.