US Senate Passes $901bn Defence Bill With Ukraine Aid, 4% Troop Pay Raise

The US Senate has approved a $901 billion defence spending bill, clearing the way for President Donald Trump to sign the legislation into law. The fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was passed with strong bipartisan backing, underscoring Congress’s long-standing commitment to military funding despite sharp political divisions.

The bill authorises a record $901 billion allocation for the Pentagon, including a 4% pay raise for US troops and wide-ranging reforms to the military’s weapons procurement and acquisition systems. Lawmakers said the measures are aimed at strengthening US preparedness amid growing strategic competition with China and Russia.

In a notable divergence from President Trump’s recent rhetoric, the NDAA includes provisions to bolster European security. The legislation allocates $800 million in military aid to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and provides $175 million for the Baltic states—Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. It also restricts the Pentagon’s ability to reduce US troop levels in Europe below 76,000 and prevents the US European Commander from relinquishing the NATO Supreme Commander role.

The Senate approved the bill by a 77–20 vote, after the House passed it last week with a similarly large margin. While Trump had requested slightly lower defence spending, the final figure exceeds his proposal by about $8 billion.

The NDAA also repeals the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for the Use of Military Force related to Iraq, signalling an effort to reassert Congress’s role in decisions involving military action. At the same time, it removes sanctions imposed on Syria during the Bashar al-Assad era.

Several politically sensitive provisions were included as well. The bill codifies Trump-era executive orders ending diversity, equity and inclusion programmes at the Pentagon and bars transgender women from participating in women’s sports at US military academies.

While the legislation stops short of renaming the Department of Defense as the “Department of War,” an idea previously floated by Trump, it reflects a blend of bipartisan defence priorities and ideological compromises. The passage marks the 65th consecutive year that Congress has enacted the NDAA, reinforcing its status as one of Washington’s most enduring legislative traditions.