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“The Trillion Dollar War Machine”: William Hartung on DoD Funding, Israel, Tariffs & More

2025-11-14 News & Politics
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Democracy Now!
Democracy Now!
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Analyzing Runaway US Military Spending and War Profiteering

Discover how the unprecedented trillion-dollar Pentagon budget finances profit for the arms industry, often overriding national security goals. Learn why current U.S. foreign policy is deemed “based on profit” rather than winning wars.

Short Summary

  • The US has surpassed $1 trillion in military spending, leading to calls for unrestricted production and accelerated acquisitions.
  • Key tech and defense firms exert significant political influence, using concepts like AI and competition with China to justify massive budgets.
  • Military aid to allies, such as Israel, transfers funds directly to US arms manufacturers, turning conflict into pure revenue. This discussion explores the ideological shift toward technological warfare and how elite interests capture academia and media to support the ongoing war machine.

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Description

Support our work: https://democracynow.org/donate/sm-desc-yt Democracy Now! speaks to William Hartung about his new book "The Trillion Dollar War Machine” and who profits from the United States’ runaway military spending that fuels foreign wars. Hartung says that U.S. policy is “based on profit” and calls for a rethinking of our foreign entanglements. “We haven't won a war in this century. We've caused immense harm. We've spent $8 trillion,” he says. Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET. Subscribe to our Daily Email Digest: https://democracynow.org/subscribe

Top Comments (10)

@mick8888V 2025-11-14

"The Arsenal of Freedom" what an oxymoron.

71 8 replies
@You_Dont_Like_My_Music 2025-11-14

If someone says 'peace through strength' again, I will puke.

70 7 replies
@garryharriman7349 2025-11-14

Can't feed the poor, but we have money for war. 'War is over, if you want it'. 'One world, one people'.

61 3 replies
@jessealedonis3987 2025-11-14

REMEMBER! War is for Profit!!!!!!!

59 9 replies
@eileenwalter5727 2025-11-14

Remember----Eisenhower warned us about the industrial military complex in 1961. We haven't made a dent in war profiteering. Now we have to deal with the involvement of AI.

55 1 replies
@faithrubin4293 2025-11-14

War is not about winning, it is about the money-making industrial-military complex.

36 2 replies
@mick8888V 2025-11-14

Nothing wrong with having the capability of defending one's self, but imagine if we could just cooperate, negotiate and appreciate other sovereigns, while progressing at fulfilling one's own national needs.

27 1 replies
@napalmholocaust9093 2025-11-14

Open All contracts to US vendors. Raytheon charging 30,000 for a small bag of washers from the hardware store is nothing but felony fraud. Break the monopoly.

20 1 replies
@You_Dont_Like_My_Music 2025-11-14

Sending weapons makes money, sending troops costs money.

15
@faithadirah9595 2025-11-14

This is shameful...

15

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