How $34 Billion in Pentagon Funds Slipped Into the Budget Unnoticed
A new report has exposed how US lawmakers quietly added nearly $34 billion to the Pentagon's budget for fiscal year 2026. The funds were spread across 1,090 individual program increases, most of which lacked clear sponsorship or justification. Critics argue these hidden additions function like backdoor earmarks, bypassing normal scrutiny.
The findings raise concerns about transparency, as only a small fraction of the increases were publicly linked to specific representatives.
The report highlights that 847 of the 1,090 program increases were inserted as floor amendments in official legislative texts. Yet just 32 of these had sponsors named, leaving 1,058 with no identified backer. Many lawmakers openly promote such increases, which often benefit defence contractors and lobbyists tied to their re-election efforts.
Since fiscal year 2024, the average cost per program increase has jumped by roughly 60%, even though the total number of requests grew by less than 2%. Three-quarters of the FY 2026 increases funded projects the Department of Defense (DoD) had not even requested. These additions can divert money from critical programmes or inflate an already ballooning Pentagon budget.
The report urges Congress to enforce stricter rules. It recommends requiring sponsors to publicly claim their proposals, provide justifications, and disclose which companies might gain contracts. Such measures aim to curb wasteful spending and improve accountability in defence funding.
Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group, has called for greater transparency in the process. They warn that backdoor earmarks—though temporarily banned in 2011—continue to operate under different names, undermining fiscal responsibility and national security priorities.
The report's recommendations focus on forcing lawmakers to take public responsibility for their budget additions. If adopted, the changes would expose which companies stand to profit and why certain projects receive extra funding. Without reform, the practice of hidden earmarks risks further distorting Pentagon spending and reducing oversight.
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