On December 10, 2025, the US House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2026 fiscal year, the largest military spending bill in US history. The vote was 312 to 112, marking the 65th consecutive year that the NDAA has been passed by the U.S. Congress since 1961.
The NDAA 2026 authorizes $901 billion in annual military spending, $8 billion more than President Donald Trump’s request earlier this year, presenting a record annual military expenditure.
Notably, the NDAA continues to provide $400 million in military assistance to Ukraine for two fiscal years (2026-2027) through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
In addition, the Act: (1) Raises military pay by 4 percent and improves living conditions for American troops; (2) Tightens oversight of programs criticized by President Trump (such as DEI programs); (3) Reinforces the U.S. commitments to Europe’s defense; (4) Maintains provisions on defense acquisitions to compete militarily with China and Russia.
Overall, while the NDAA 2026 demonstrates continuity in U.S. security policy, it does not obligate the U.S. to undertake military intervention in Ukraine or in any other region. The U.S. decision on military intervention remains contingent on its strategic calculations and the specific circumstances.
The massive defense spending, together with the assistance to Ukraine, may indicate that the U.S. continues to prioritize great-power competition, alliance strengthening, and the maintenance of its role in global or European security affairs. This trajectory may not be fully consistent with elements outlined in the 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), which emphasizes narrowing overseas engagement and reducing strategic burdens, partly reflecting the fact that the 2025 NSS was drafted by a small group with limited interagency consultation.
