Fact-check · Oct 6, 2026 · Donald Trump
“We had a trillion dollars. First time that's ever taken place”
FALSE
What the record shows
US defense spending exceeded $1 trillion in 2020 and in inflation-adjusted terms during 2008-2011 (reaching $1.04-1.06 trillion). FY2026 defense spending reached $1.05 trillion.
Defense spending first exceeded $1 trillion in 2020, not recently. In inflation-adjusted dollars, it surpassed $1 trillion during the Bush and Obama administrations (2008-2011).
Sources
From: President Trump Delivers Remarks, Oct. 6, 2026
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