US President Donald Trump has presented his first draft budget for his second term, which provides for a significant increase in defense and homeland security spending, while drastically cutting spending in other areas of government.

For the first time, defense spending will exceed $1 trillion.

Trump's budget plan for 2026 calls for a 22% cut in non-defense spending, amounting to $163 billion — accelerating efforts to reduce spending under the so-called Government Efficiency Office (DOGE), led by Elon Musk.

But to support the Republicans' focus on the southern border, Trump is planning an unprecedented 13% increase in defense spending to $1.01 trillion and a 65% increase in domestic security spending.

Rush Vow, head of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said in a letter to Congress that the budget would "finally provide complete security for our borders."

The plans will "clean up the mess President Trump inherited from the previous administration and strengthen the border and other defenses to protect America from foreign invasion," Vought added.

The so-called "light budget" is often described as a wish list that precedes full budget proposals later in the year, which must be agreed with Congress.

However, the draft budget is indicative of Trump's priorities for his new term, in which he has already attempted to radically transform the US government.

Many of the cuts will target what the White House calls "progressive" programs. The administration has provided a full document on these cuts, including in the areas of diversity, gender equality, climate, and aid to organizations abroad.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer criticized Trump's budget proposal as a "gut punch" that would cut spending on health care and education.

"The days of Donald Trump pretending to be a populist are numbered. His policies are nothing but a total attack on hard-working Americans," Schumer said. He stressed that Democrats would "fight this heartless budget with everything we've got." | BGNES, AFP