House Passes $900B Defense Bill with Pay Raise, Golden Dome Tech, and Crackdown on Woke Ideology

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a sweeping $900 billion defense bill Wednesday, delivering a major legislative victory for President Trump and setting the stage for significant shifts in the military’s structure, priorities, and culture. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026 passed with bipartisan support in a 312–112 vote, and now heads to the Senate, where it’s expected to be approved next week before landing on Trump’s desk for signature.

The 3,000-page bill includes a 4% pay raise for U.S. troops, aggressive countermeasures against China and Russia, major investments in new defense technology, and the codification of 15 Trump-era executive orders — a sharp turn away from policies implemented during the Biden years.

Reviving Warrior Ethos and Ending Woke Spending

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) hailed the legislation as a cornerstone of Trump’s national defense strategy. “This bill ends the woke ideology at the Pentagon, secures the border, revitalizes our defense industrial base, and restores the warrior ethos,” Johnson said.

To achieve that, the NDAA eliminates roughly $40 million in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and offices, along with $1.6 million in Biden-era climate change initiatives. The bill also mandates “merit-based” promotion systems for service members and reinstates competitive admissions standards at U.S. military academies.

Among the codified executive orders are:

• Declaring a national emergency at the southern border

• Unleashing “drone dominance”

• Building the Golden Dome missile defense system

• Restructuring the Pentagon’s acquisition process

• Defunding DEI and restoring combat readiness

New Tech, Drone Superiority, and Iron Dome Expansion

The NDAA earmarks billions to bolster U.S. technological superiority. A major provision is the development of a “Golden Dome” missile defense system — America’s answer to Israel’s Iron Dome — designed to shield U.S. cities from missile and drone attacks.

Israel will receive $60 million in additional Iron Dome missiles, while Ukraine is allocated $800 million in aid through 2027 to purchase U.S.-made weapons. Lawmakers also included restrictions on American companies collaborating with Chinese or Russian biotech firms tied to foreign militaries.

The bill ramps up efforts to prevent foreign adversaries from buying land near U.S. military bases, a growing concern as the Chinese Communist Party continues to acquire property across the U.S.

Border Security and Intelligence Transparency

Signaling Trump’s ongoing focus on national sovereignty, the NDAA supports enhanced border security operations under the president’s emergency declaration. It also includes a provision from Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) requiring Congress to be notified if any member is the subject of a U.S. counterintelligence operation.

Pentagon Oversight and Threats to Cut Hegseth’s Travel Budget

Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), emphasized reforms to the Pentagon’s acquisition system, which has long been criticized for slow delivery and outdated processes. The bill accelerates timelines for military procurement to better compete with rapid weapons development in China.

Lawmakers also signaled growing frustration with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, threatening to cut his travel budget unless he releases unedited footage from a recent U.S. military strike on a suspected narco-trafficking boat in the Caribbean.

Other Provisions

• Iraq War Powers Repeal: The bill formally repeals the 2002 authorization for military force in Iraq, which served as a legal basis for America’s involvement there.

• Syria Sanctions Removed: Sanctions placed on Syria during Trump’s first term have been lifted in the legislation, part of a broader shift in the administration’s Middle East policy.

• IVF Coverage Scrapped: A controversial provision allowing active-duty troops access to in vitro fertilization was stripped from the final bill.

With the Senate expected to act quickly, the 2026 NDAA could be one of the most transformative defense packages in decades — reasserting American strength, reshaping military culture, and aligning the Pentagon firmly with Trump’s America First doctrine.