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Hegseth calls nearly $1.5 trillion defence budget request “absolutely critical”

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Source: South China Morning Post

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called a nearly US$1.5 trillion defence budget request “absolutely critical” at the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting on Wednesday 14 October 2026. He described it as a “one-time generational investment” that gives Washington a chance to “fully rebuild” the military, and said whoever falls behind in autonomy, robotics and AI will fall “even further behind”. Hegseth announced the Project Agincourt plan on 30 September at Marine Corps Base Quantico. It includes a four-star Autonomous Warfare Command by 1 October 2027, building on the Biden administration’s Replicator initiative and the Drone Dominance Programme begun in 2025.

Why it matters

Hegseth says the nearly US$1.5 trillion request would let the US rebuild its military, and the Pentagon’s Project Agincourt plan centres on drone and autonomous warfare capabilities.

When
14 Oct 2026
ID
WTA-N-2026-0299
Who
US Department of Defence, Association of the United States Army; Pete Hegseth

Summary by wheresthe.ai, from South China Morning Post. Checked against the source on 14 Oct 2026.

Read the original at South China Morning Post

Source copy: download the page text as saved on 18 Oct 2026 (PDF). Also held by the Internet Archive.

Earlier in this Storyline: What led herePentagon plans four-star Autonomous Warfare Command by October 2027

Cite this story

WTA-N-2026-0299: “Hegseth calls nearly $1.5 trillion defence budget request “absolutely critical”.” wheresthe.ai, 14 Oct 2026. https://wheresthe.ai/d/us-hegseth-calls-nearly-1-5-trillion-defence-budget-request-2026-10/ (source: South China Morning Post).

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