Leaders in Congress released the details of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) post-conference committee. The military spending bill will be voted on this week.
The compromise NDAA will require President Donald Trump to keep at least 76,000 American troops in Europe. At times, Trump has had an antagonistic relationship with Washington’s cross-Atlantic allies, pushing the bloc to take more responsibility for Europe’s defense.
The legislation also mandates the US maintain at least 28,500 soldiers in South Korea.
The NDAA provides $800 million for military aid to Ukraine over the next two years. President Trump has halted arms transfers to Kiev, and is calling on Europeans to buy American weapons for Ukraine.
House Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed the $901 billion bill. “This year’s National Defense Authorization Act helps advance President Trump and Republicans’ Peace Through Strength Agenda by codifying 15 of President Trump’s executive orders, ending woke ideology at the Pentagon, securing the border, revitalizing the defense industrial base, and restoring the warrior ethos,” he said.
The NDAA will also lift sanctions on Syria. The US economic war against Syria was part of a regime change operation to remove President Bashar al-Assad. Assad was forced from power last year, and Abu Mohammad al-Julani, a former al-Qaeda commander, seized power.
Julani, who now goes by Ahmed al-Sharra, has been embraced by the White House.
The compromise NDAA increased the White House’s initial military spending legislation by $8 billion. Additionally, the bill repeals the 1991 and 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force.
