The United States Senate has voted by a strong bipartisan majority to advance the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, a sweeping $901 billion bill that sets policy and funding priorities for the Pentagon. Approved by a 77–20 vote, the legislation now heads to the White House, where President Donald Trump is expected to sign it into law. The bill represents a compromise between earlier House and Senate versions and authorises the highest level of annual military spending in US history, including a four percent pay raise for service members and major investments in defence equipment and readiness.
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The NDAA places strong emphasis on strategic competition with China and Russia, while also reinforcing US commitments in Europe. It allocates $800 million for Ukraine over the next two years under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and provides $175 million to strengthen the defences of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The legislation also limits any reduction of US troops in Europe below 76,000 and preserves NATO command structures, despite recent debates within US political circles over relations with Europe.
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In addition, the bill includes certain conservative-backed cultural provisions, such as restricting transgender women from women’s athletic programmes at US military academies. Despite some controversy, Congress once again upheld its six-decade tradition of passing the NDAA on time, underlining the bill’s central role in US governance and defence planning.
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