President Trump's proposed 2018 budget is billed as the initial investment on his planned military buildup, but Pentagon officials are worried about the long-term costs — and whether Congress can be counted on to keep paying.
At a Defense Department press conference after the White House budget blueprint was released Thursday, John Roth, the acting comptroller for the Pentagon, acknowledged the budget office is keeping a nervous eye on the costs for increasing the force, saying they hope to see a “pattern” of growth for future budgets.
“The answer is, we’re looking, ultimately, for a commitment, particularly from Congress but also from the administration, for long-term growth in defense spending,” Roth told Reporters. “Seventeen is the down payment. [In] FY18, the [administration's planned] top-line is something above FY17, so the trend is good.”
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