The Lockheed AC-130 gunship, known as a 'Gunship'. It can rain down artillery shells when necessary. [Photo=U.S. Air Force]

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the 7th (local time) that he would increase next year's defense budget by more than 50% to $1.5 trillion (approximately 2,176 trillion won).

Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, "In difficult and challenging times, for the benefit of America, the defense budget for 2027 must be $1.5 trillion. This is the conclusion reached after long and arduous negotiations with members of the Senate, House of Representatives, and cabinet officials."

The amount of $1.5 trillion is three times South Korea's total annual budget ($728 trillion won for the 2026 budget).

President Trump explained that the reason for increasing the defense budget is to build a "dream army," emphasizing, "This is to ensure we can protect our safety and security against any enemy that may appear."

The defense budget for fiscal year 2026 (October 2025 - September 2026), signed by President Trump on the 18th of last month, was $901 billion (approximately 1,307 trillion won), just under $1 trillion.

Next year, the defense budget will be set at $600 billion (approximately 870 trillion won) more than this amount.

President Trump stated that the reason for being able to increase the defense spending to such a large amount is due to his "tariff policy." He said, "In the past, profits were not significant due to many countries extorting America. Especially during the 'sleepy' Joe Biden administration, which was the worst in history, with high tariffs that were unthinkable even a year ago, and the immense revenue generated from them, we will be able to easily reach the figure of $1.5 trillion."

He added, "At the same time, we will be able to produce unmatched military power, pay down debt, and provide significant dividends to the middle-class patriots of our country."

As seen in the operation to arrest Maduro, the United States has indeed deployed immense military power in the Caribbean to pressure South America.

Experts commented, "President Trump is expected to utilize the U.S. military for the annexation of Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark," and "There is also a possibility of military operations against Colombia, where a leftist regime is in power, similar to Venezuela."

Reporter Im Yo-hee