The United States Senate has approved a $901bn defence policy bill for the 2026 fiscal year, endorsing a sweeping package that advances key priorities of President Donald Trump’s administration while also reinforcing Congress’s role in overseeing US military deployments abroad.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed in a 77–20 vote on Wednesday, with senators adopting legislation previously approved by the House of Representatives last month. The bill now heads to Trump’s desk for signature.
While the legislation aligns with Trump’s broader national security agenda, particularly his focus on the Asia Pacific, it also includes provisions aimed at limiting how quickly the administration can reduce US troop levels in key allied regions.
Under the bill, the Pentagon is required to maintain at least 76,000 US troops in Europe unless NATO allies are consulted and the administration determines that any reduction would serve US national interests. The US currently stations between 80,000 and 100,000 troops across Europe. A parallel provision blocks any cut in US forces in South Korea below 28,500 soldiers.
An additional $400m per year was approved to manufacture weapons for Ukraine, underlining continued congressional backing for Kyiv and a sustained US security role in Europe.
The NDAA also reflects the Trump administration’s strategic pivot toward the Asia Pacific, which it frames as the central arena for future economic and geopolitical competition, particularly with China.
In line with that emphasis, the bill provides $1bn for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, strengthening defence ties with Taipei as Washington seeks to counter Beijing’s expanding military reach.
The legislation further authorises $600m in security assistance for Israel, including funding for joint missile defence programmes such as the Iron Dome, an area of long-standing bipartisan consensus in Congress.
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