Pentagon officials are intensifying their lobbying efforts to secure congressional approval for a historic $1.5 trillion defense budget proposal, but concerns are growing among some Republican senators that the push may have come too late to build the necessary bipartisan support. With lawmakers skeptical of the aggressive approach, the Defense Department’s strategy now faces an uphill battle in winning over key lawmakers before funding deadlines loom. The timing of the push has raised questions about whether the administration’s late offensive could jeopardize the budget’s chances in a divided Congress.
Pentagon officials have ramped up their efforts in recent weeks to help Congress carve a path toward President Trump’s record $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget request. But some GOP senators are worried the Defense Department deployed its closed-door offensive too late, undercutting its prospects of building a coalition necessary to move the record-breaking defense budget. Sen....
