Actual U.S. Military Spending Reached $1.537 Trillion in 2022—More than Twice Acknowledged Level

New Estimates Based on U.S. National Accounts

Abstract

How much does it cost to maintain an empire? A stunning new analysis by Gisela Cernadas and John Bellamy Foster shows the true scale of U.S. military spending, which far outstrips conventional estimates, which use data gleaned from traditional sources.