U.S. Defense Spending Compared to Other Countries

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The United States spends more on national defense than China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil - combined. While the chart above illustrates last year’s defense spending in dollar terms, the United States has also historically devoted a larger share of its economy to defense than many of its key allies.

Defense spending accounts for 15 percent of all federal spending and roughly half of discretionary spending. Total discretionary spending — for both defense and nondefense purposes — represents only about one-third of the annual federal budget. It is currently below its historical average as a share of GDP and is projected to decline further.

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