Poll Shows Majority of U.S. Voters Opposed to Record-level Pentagon Budget

Polling by Data for Progress and the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen found 55% of all respondents are "somewhat" or "very concerned" about the $813 billion in Pentagon funding requested by the Biden administration for FY 2023, up from $782 billion this year.

April 1, 2023 | Source: Common Dreams | by Brett Wilkins

Polling by Data for Progress and the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen found 55% of all respondents are “somewhat” or “very concerned” about the $813 billion in Pentagon funding requested by the Biden administration for FY 2023, up from $782 billion this year.

However, only 32% of those surveyed—including 39% of Democrats, 38% of Independents, and 20% of Republicans—said the U.S. spends too much on its military.

Sixty-three percent of survey respondents said the military’s budget should not exceed $813 billion. Among Democrats, that figure rose to 80%, while two-thirds of Independents and 42% of Republicans agreed.

“There is absolutely no excuse for writing the Pentagon a blank check it didn’t even ask for,” Public Citizen president Robert Weissman said in a statement. “Congress should heed popular, public opinion and reject proposals for even more Pentagon spending than President [Joe] Biden has requested.”

Politico reported this week that some congressional Republicans, citing inflation, are seeking an additional 5% increase in the Pentagon topline budget.