# How America Spends $900 Billion on Defense — And Why It's Never Enough (Podcast)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/explain-it-to-me-podcast-english-7458315/how-america-spends-900-billion-on-defense-and-why-it-s-never-enough-podcast
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/explain-it-to-me-podcast-english-7458315/how-america-spends-900-billion-on-defense-and-why-it-s-never-enough-podcast.md
Podcast: [Explain it to me - Podcast - English](https://stenobird.com/podcast/explain-it-to-me-podcast-english-7458315)
Published: 2026-04-28T07:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/explain-it-to-me-en/episodes/How-America-Spends-900-Billion-on-Defense--And-Why-Its-Never-Enough-Podcast-e3hrvv4
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/10881159c/podcast/play/118406564/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-3-13%2F422002483-44100-2-be79fb12577b5.mp3
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Duration seconds: 2013

## Resource

The United States spends nearly $900 billion on defense every single year — more than the next 10 countries combined. But where does all that money actually go? In this video, we break down the Pentagon's massive budget in detail: from the $352 billion spent just keeping the lights on, to the $200 billion weapons shopping list dominated by five mega-contractors, to the explosive growth in AI, drone swarms, and nuclear rearmament programs.We expose the cost-plus contracting scandal that turned the F-35 from a $200 billion program into a $2 trillion money pit, the geographic lobbying trap that makes wasteful programs politically immortal, and the alarming historical parallel between America's current military spending trajectory and the collapse of the Soviet Union.We also examine Donald Trump's controversial $1.5 trillion defense proposal — including the Golden Dome missile shield, the Golden Fleet battleships, and autonomous weapons expansion — and ask whether the funding math actually works.This is the story of the Pentagon's black hole: a budget so large it defies comprehension, driven by structural forces that neither party has been willing to confront. If you care about where your tax dollars go, the future of American power, or the geopolitics of US-China competition, this is essential viewing.Watch to the end for the historical warning that every American should hear. Like, subscribe, and share this video to help more people understand what's really happening inside the world's most expensive military machine. — FOLLOW & LISTEN —🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KZ2NUu1MjJolN2alJltnN🛰️ RSS (all apps): https://anchor.fm/s/10881159c/podcast/rss🍎 Apple Podcasts (EN): https://anchor.fm/s/10881159c/podcast/rss🍎 Apple Podcasts (PT-BR): https://anchor.fm/s/1…

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