A $20B battleship the U.S. abandoned after WWII is back in Trump's $1.5T defense budget. Experts say modern missiles will easily destroy it.

The article focuses on the critique of the Trump administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget for fiscal year 2027, highlighting concerns about wasteful spending on outdated and ineffective weapons systems. A Cato Institute report specifically criticizes the inclusion of a new "Trump-class" battleship, which is based on obsolete World War II-era technology and estimated to cost $20 billion each, as well as other costly programs like the F-35 fighter jet, the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, the F-47 stealth aircraft, and the Golden Dome missile defense shield. Experts argue these expenditures contribute to the growing national debt, which recently surpassed 100% of GDP, and question the strategic value of such investments given modern military needs. The budget proposal signals a significant increase in defense spending and a shift in U.S. military investment priorities, despite skepticism from analysts about the effectiveness and fiscal responsibility of the requested programs. [Extracted from the article]