What's in the Huge Military Bill Heading to Trump?
Congress has now passed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026, a sprawling $901 billion measure that includes everything from a pay raise for troops to several direct challenges to President Donald Trump’s authority.
It’s easy to get lost in this 3,000-plus-page measure, but there are also consequential details you shouldn’t miss:
It requires the Defense Department to give Congress the specific orders to carry out strikes targeting boats the administration says were carrying drugs to the United States. Administration officials have not publicly provided evidence for that charge.
The administration has not sought congressional authorization for use of force even as it has carried out 26 strikes so far.
The second provision forbids Trump from reducing the number of troops permanently stationed in or deployed to Europe below 76,000 for more than 45 days.
There’s also one notable thing the legislation doesn’t do: It retains the “Defense Department” label rather than Trump’s preferred name, “Department of War.”
The legislation repeals the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for use of military force against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.
At: https://www.usnews.com/news/u-s-news-decision-points/articles/2025-12-18/whats-in-the-huge-military-bill-heading-to-trump
