Sen. Bernie Sanders isn't holding back on what he sees as Washington's warped spending priorities. The Vermont independent tore into Congress Thursday after lawmakers approved yet another massive defense bill, arguing the country can't keep shoveling money into the military while people at home struggle to see a doctor or lift their kids out of poverty.

The Trillion Dollar Question

Sanders laid out his case bluntly on X: "We are spending $1 trillion every year on the military. That's more than the next NINE nations combined. Meanwhile, millions lack health care & we have the highest childhood and senior poverty rate of almost any major country. Congress needs to get its priorities straight."

In an accompanying video, Sanders pointed out how debates over defense spending miss the forest for the trees. Lawmakers get caught up arguing over individual line items without stepping back to look at the staggering total. "When we talk about the defense bill, we talk about this aspect of it. We talk about that aspect of it. But we don't look at the bill in its totality," he said. Add up all the defense accounts, and you're north of $1 trillion annually.

Trump Signs Off On $901 Billion Defense Package

President Donald Trump signed the $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act on Thursday, keeping alive a decades-long streak of annual defense bills passing Congress. The measure sailed through with overwhelming bipartisan support—77-20 in the Senate and 312-112 in the House. Sanders was among those voting no, according to Senate records.

The bill isn't just a blank check. It authorizes roughly a 4% pay bump for service members and dedicates $400 million annually for two years toward Ukraine's security needs. There's also a suite of China-focused provisions, including tougher oversight of certain U.S. investments in Chinese technology, reflecting Washington's bipartisan push to counter Beijing's influence.

The Numbers Back Sanders Up

Sanders' claim about outspending the next nine countries isn't hyperbole. Data from SIPRI, an independent international research organization, pegged U.S. military spending at $997 billion in 2024. That does indeed exceed the combined defense budgets of the next nine largest military spenders.

Of course, supporters of hefty defense spending argue it's essential for deterring adversaries and keeping American forces ready for whatever comes next. Sanders, for his part, had warned back in May about a $150 billion spending increase he believed should be redirected toward housing and working families instead.

The debate boils down to competing visions of national security—whether America is safer with overwhelming military superiority or by addressing the economic vulnerabilities of its own citizens.