Why Does Trump Want the Biggest Defense Budget Ever?

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch discuss President Donald Trump’s escalating rhetoric around the war in Iran, including a profanity-laced Easter weekend Truth Social post. They examine what it reveals about a conflict with shifting timelines, unclear objectives, and little public support, along with the domestic consequences of the war, including rising gas prices surging above $4 per gallon. The panel also weighs Trump’s proposal for a $1.5 trillion defense budget, the largest in modern history, and what it says about the administration’s priorities.

Next, the panel turns to the broader federal budget, where rising spending continues without any serious attempt to address the deficit. The editors then check in on NASA’s Artemis program, weighing the excitement of returning to the moon against persistent delays, cost overruns, and the growing role of private space companies. They also answer a listener’s question about what libertarian alternatives to Medicare for All might look like, focusing on deregulation, catastrophic coverage, and restoring price signals in the health care system.

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0:00—Trump’s Truth Social Easter rant

14:57—The $1.5 trillion defense budget

22:36—The New York Times student debt story

28:55—Listener question on Medicare for All

43:41—Analyzing Artemis

51:58—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in the podcast:

“‘I Am Blowing Up Everything,'” by Eric Boehm

“Ro Khanna: Congress Has Surrendered on War,” by Nick Gillespie

“Trump’s Call for a $1.5 Trillion Military Budget Is Irresponsible, Wasteful, and Unrealistic,” by Eric Boehm

“10 Years Ago Today, Trump Promised To Eliminate the National Debt. Instead, It Has Doubled,” by Eric Boehm

“Debt Denialists,” by Matt Welch

“Generational Warfare,” by Nick Gillespie and Veronique de Rugy

“Why I Prefer French Health Care,” by Matt Welch

“Artemis II Launches a New Era of Lunar Exploration,” by Natalie Dowzicky

“NASA’s Artemis Program Is a Monument to Government Waste. It Can Only Go Up From Here,” by Quade MacDonald

“The Zendaya Romance The Drama Is Weirder and More Uncomfortable Than You Expect,” by Peter Suderman

Green Lantern/Green Arrow, by Dennis O’Neill and Neal Adams

Captain America #156

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser