Resetting the Role of AM in Defense, and the Role of Defense in the Economy

• The Trump administration recently revealed that it is requesting a $1.5 trillion defense budget for FY2027, confirming Trump’s initial announcement of that topline number at the beginning of 2026. So...

The Trump administration recently revealed that it is requesting a $1.5 trillion defense budget for FY2027, confirming Trump’s initial announcement of that topline number at the beginning of 2026. So far, only the broad strokes are publicly available, but there’s enough there to get the gist of what the administration wants. One would think that the additive manufacturing (AM) industry is in a better position than ever to make the case that policymakers should continue to increase prioritization of AM, but nothing involving the defense budget is ever straightforward. Before the $1.5 trillion was ever officially announced, Matt Vallone, a defense market intelligence analyst who has experience working in the US Congress, wrote an article, “Why a $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget Request Might Sl