The NDAA this year advances a Trump-aligned agenda by cutting programs opposed by him, notably diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, while expanding deployments of troops to the U.S. southwest border to intercept undocumented immigrants and drugs.

It also broadens the deployment of troops to the southern border as part of border security and anti-drug efforts, while repealing Iraq War authorizations from 1991 and 2002.

Trump’s proposed FY2026 defense budget of about $892.6 billion contrasts with the final authorization, reflecting a gap between the White House request and Congress’s approved level, which will be resolved in separate appropriations.

This year’s measure stops short of setting funding levels and instead lays out authorizations that must be funded through subsequent appropriations as the fiscal year 2026 cycle proceeds.

The NDAA includes a 4% pay raise for enlisted troops and provides $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, while omitting a bipartisan housing construction provision that some lawmakers sought.

In addition to the pay raise and Ukraine aid, the bill signals ongoing support for allied security, though it excludes the housing initiative that had been debated.

As a longstanding must-pass annual authorization, the NDAA continues to shape U.S. national security policy for the coming year.

The passage of the NDAA this year was marked by unusually partisan tensions, including objections over domestic military use and a delay in hearings that previously stalled the process.

Partisan disagreements overshadowed typical bipartisan negotiations, with debates over domestic deployment and spending, before a hearing agreement helped move the bill forward.

Beyond conventional defense priorities like weapons and deterrence, the NDAA also omits a bipartisan housing measure for service members that some lawmakers had pressed.

House Speaker positions frame the NDAA as advancing Trump’s agenda by aligning defense policy with a stance against woke ideology, while restoring border security and strengthening the defense industrial base.

The bill also includes provisions on reducing or eliminating programs seen as objectionable to Trump fans and allocates about $400 million in Ukraine military assistance.

Early estimates show the proposal would authorize a record level of national security spending, around $901 billion for fiscal year 2026, signaling a higher trajectory than prior requests.

In sum, the NDAA for FY2026 contemplates a record spend that tops the White House request, with final funding to be determined in separate appropriations.

A notable feature is the repeal of two Iraq war authorizations from 1991 and 2002 as part of the legislation.

Overall, the bill emphasizes aligning defense policy with Trump-era priorities, including reducing woke policies at the Pentagon and strengthening border control, alongside security-focused troop deployments.

The NDAA represents a compromise between the House and Senate versions, with authorizations around $901 billion to $925 billion for programs, though it does not fund them and requires separate appropriations for fiscal year 2026.