Despite Bloated Budget, US Entering 2024 With Tiniest Military Since 1941

Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2024 on Thursday, with the annual defense bill ballooning to a record $886 billion. But record outlays have not translated to capabilities, with a recent ranking listing Russia, which reportedly plans to spend about $140 billion on defense in 2024, as the world’s strongest military.