Washington DC - The White House sent a spending proposal to lawmakers Friday calling for a massive $1.5 trillion US defense budget next year as it faces increased costs due to President Donald Trump's unprovoked war on Iran.

The total year-on-year increase in Pentagon spending would be the largest since World War II, US media reported, although presidential budgets are wish lists that have to be approved by Congress, rather than binding orders.

The request would represent a 42% hike in the Pentagon topline for 2026.

It is part of a proposal that asks Congress to slash non-defense spending by some $73 billion, or 10%, by "reducing or eliminating woke, weaponized, and wasteful programs, and by returning state and local responsibilities to their respective governments."

The Pentagon isn't expected to release a detailed breakdown of the budget request until later this month, but the plan could form a fiscal framework that adds trillions to the already growing federal debt over the next decade, assuming Congress adopts Donald Trump's proposals.

The Republican called on lawmakers to approve the bulk of the increase through the standard annual government funding process, while passing the remaining $350 billion via the same party-line legislative maneuver that allowed Republicans to secure tax cuts without Democratic support last year.

In the lead-up to releasing the proposal, the Trump administration has emphasized the urgency of boosting defense spending, pointing to the need to replenish weapons stockpiles and other military resources used up during the war on Iran.

At a private lunch this week, Trump dismissed the notion that the federal government was responsible for providing funding for social programs and health care, calling them "little scams."