House Republicans pass hard-right defense bill, handing wins to Trump

House Republicans pass hard-right defense bill, handing wins to Trump

The GOP-led bill authorizes over $1 trillion for the military and would codify President Donald Trump's rebranding of the Pentagon as the Department of War.

The House narrowly passed its marquee $1.15 trillion defense policy bill largely along party lines Wednesday amid a bitter partisan divide over President Donald Trump's conduct of the war against Iran and his push for a massive Pentagon spending boost.

Just six Democrats supported the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which House Republicans muscled through in a tight 216-212 vote. Those Democratic votes proved decisive, helping Republicans overcome seven defections from their own ranks to pass the bill.

The vote is a win for Trump, whose party endorsed a large portion of his defense plans. It's also a win for Speaker Mike Johnson, who overcame GOP unrest by steering the bill to the right on the House floor.

The final bill includes a variety of conservative provisions aimed at solidifying GOP support — including renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War, blocking coverage for gender-affirming care and making it easier for troops to carry their personal firearms on military bases.

Republican leaders also attached their election overhaul backed by Trump, known as the SAVE America Act, at the behest of hard-line members who previously blocked the defense bill.

While the policy bill does not allocate any funding, the NDAA is often seen as a significant indicator of support for Pentagon spending. The bill makes a down payment on Trump's historic $1.5 trillion military budget — endorsing the $1.15 trillion in base budget funding the White House has requested through the annual appropriations process.

The remaining $350 billion, which the bill does not address, would come through a separate party-line reconciliation bill.