Chart Pack: Defense Spending
Last Updated February 3, 2025
Defense is the largest component of discretionary spending and it is projected to continue rising over the next decade.
America’s fiscal, economic, and national security are closely linked. Defense spending helps ensure our national security as well as our leading role in the world. At the same time, America’s unsustainable national debt threatens our global standing and economic strength. It’s critical that we meet our defense challenges while balancing those requirements with a more sustainable fiscal outlook.
Below is a selection of key charts on defense spending in the United States.
Attribution Policy: If you would like to use any of these charts, please credit the "Peter G. Peterson Foundation" and provide the pgpf.org website URL and hyperlink. If you would like to include one of our charts in a commercial product, please email [email protected].
Further Reading
The United States Spends More on Defense than the Next 9 Countries Combined
Defense spending by the United States accounted for nearly 40 percent of military expenditures by countries around the world in 2023.
Infographic: The Facts About U.S. Defense Spending
National security is both a vital priority and a significant part of the federal budget.
Budget Basics: National Defense
The national defense budget funds a wide range of activities and represents a significant share of overall federal spending.