To ‘Fully Restore U.S. Military Might’:

Trump Signs Massive Bill on Military Spending

Date: 13 December 2017 - 20:41

News ID: ۴۷۴۳۰

WASHINGTON (Dispatches) -- President Donald Trump Tuesday signed a massive bill on military spending that he said would help America bolster its military might and modernize the services.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) calls for nearly $700 billion of military spending for the coming fiscal year, but Congress has yet to fully fund it.
"With the signing of this defense bill, we accelerate the process of fully restoring America's military might," Trump said at a White House signing ceremony, where he was flanked by Pentagon top brass including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
"This legislation will enhance our readiness ... and modernize our forces, and help provide our service members with the tools that they need to fight and to win."
While the NDAA passed Congress with bipartisan support, lawmakers have not agreed on how to fund the mammoth spending package, which amounts to more than that of the world's next seven militaries combined.
Trump called on Democrats in Congress to get in line with Republicans and back a "clean funding bill."
The tough-talking U.S. president also took aim at Obama-era budget caps known as sequestration, which Republicans in Congress love to hate.
"Congress must finish the job by eliminating the defense sequester and passing a clean appropriations bill," Trump said. "I think it's going to happen. We need our military. It's got to be perfecto."
Trump campaigned on the pledge of increasing military spending and has said America needs more ships, submarines, troops and missiles.
He said the NDAA would give troops their biggest pay increase in eight years.
In signing the bill, Trump said the United States military "has got to be perfecto" but less than three hours later, he pointed out the bill's imperfections in a signing statement.
Among them were a variety of provisions lawmakers included to force a more aggressive U.S. policy toward Russia.
The bill restricts military cooperation with Russia, prohibits the United States from recognizing Russia's legal right to the disputed Crimea peninsula, and requires the military to "develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to counter threats by the Russian Federation" — including Russia's use of disinformation, social media and support for political parties.