A Climate and Community Institute analysis says that Donald Trump’s proposed $1 trillion Pentagon budget for 2026, called the “One Big Beautiful Act,” may raise U.S. military greenhouse gas emissions to more than 178 Mt CO₂ equivalents, an increase of roughly 26 Mt. That rise is the same as the emissions from 68 gas-fired power plants in a year, or a country the size of Croatia. With the military already among the planet’s largest institutional polluters, this move intensifies climate dangers just as Americans face increased heatwaves, worsening wildfires, and rising seas. The Trump Pentagon budget changes national security by putting weapons systems ahead of climate resilience. This makes the Pentagon’s carbon emissions higher at a time when action is needed right away. The outcome is a huge rise in military emissions that could cause long-term damage to the earth.

Experts are worried about this plan because it makes a big trade-off: it cuts financing for science, renewable energy, and disaster preparedness while giving more money to tanks, planes, and private defense companies. Trump’s decision to leave the Paris Agreement again and end Pentagon-backed climate research show that he is going back to pursuing policies that put fossil fuels first. Analysts say these choices aren’t abstract, they incorporate decades of carbon-intensive purchases, locking in emissions through next-gen equipment. Compared to past national security models that considered climate as a “threat multiplier,” this change deprioritizes adaptation and transparency in favor of geopolitical might.

For decision-makers, the message couldn’t be clearer: leave military carbon unregulated, and both climate action and budgetary health suffer the hit. With a $47 billion social cost driven by global climate disasters this budget isn’t simply unaffordable, it’s dangerous. And leaders across sustainable energy, finance, and infrastructure? They can’t afford to sit this one out. They must demand climate accountability from the armed services, advocating for everything from fuel-use reporting to real-world incorporation of renewables.. Externally, refer to reputable Climate and Community and Guardian reporting for thorough analysis, and compare with Pentagon emissions statistics tracked by Brown University.