Washington, D.C. — Today, the Center for American Progress released a new analysis of President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget request, finding that it would enact historic cuts to programs that support working families while directing hundreds of billions of dollars toward military funding and the ongoing war in Iran.
The proposal would reduce nondefense discretionary funding to its lowest level as a percentage of the economy since at least the Dwight D. Eisenhower administration while increasing military funding by $445 billion, marking the largest annual increase outside of a ground war in U.S. history.
“This budget makes a clear statement that this administration is not prioritizing American families,” said Bobby Kogan, senior director of federal budget policy at CAP and author of the analysis. “At a time when costs are high and families need support, this proposal would take resources away from programs people rely on every day and redirect them toward immoral and expensive military funding.”
CAP’s analysis finds:
- Historic cuts to domestic investments: The budget would slash funding for core services—including education, housing, public health, and workforce development—pushing nondefense discretionary funding to historic lows as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).
- Elimination of critical support programs: The proposal would fully eliminate programs that serve millions of Americans, including Community Services Block Grants, which serve more than 10 million people annually; the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helped 5.9 million households afford heating and cooling in FY 2024; and the HOME program, which has supported more than 1.3 million affordable homes since 1992.
- Deep cuts to health and nutrition programs: The budget would cut National Institutes of Health funding by $6 billion, or 13 percent, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding by $2.5 billion, or 32 percent, while reducing Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits by $1.4 billion, affecting a program that serves roughly 40 to 50 percent of U.S. infants.
- Severe reductions in education and workforce programs: Federal K–12 funding would be cut by $4.5 billion, or 69 percent, while higher education programs would be reduced by $2.7 billion, or 81 percent. This includes the elimination of TRIO and GEAR UP, which together support hundreds of thousands of students. Job Corps would also face a 90 percent cut.
- Higher costs for workers and small businesses: The budget cuts enforcement of wage protections, despite wage theft costing workers more than $50 billion annually, and reduces Small Business Administration funding by 51 percent while introducing new fees likely to be passed on to borrowers.
- Massive increases in military funding: The proposal includes a $445 billion increase in military funding, alongside billions more for projects such as the “Golden Dome” missile defense system and expanded naval procurement.
Taken together, the budget reflects a clear shift in national priorities—away from investments that lower costs and expand opportunity for American families and toward increased military funding and prolonged conflict abroad.
Read the column: “Trump’s Budget Request Cuts Programs That Help Ordinary Americans and Sinks That Money Toward War” by Bobby Kogan
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Christian Unkenholz at [email protected].