Donald Trump's proposed $54bn increase to military budget is low, House armed services chairman says

'While we cannot repair all of the damage done by those cuts in a single year, we can and should do more than this level of funding will allow'

Donald Trump promised a 'historic' increase in the US military budget (EPA)

President Donald Trump's proposed $54bn increase to the US military budget is low, the House armed services chairman has said.

"Over the course of the Obama Administration, our military funding was cut 20 per cent while the world grew more dangerous," Representative Mac Thornberry said in a statement.

"While we cannot repair all of the damage done by those cuts in a single year, we can and should do more than this level of funding will allow.

He added: "The administration will have to make clear which problems facing our military they are choosing not to fix."

The president promised a "historic" increase in the US military budget.

Mr Trump said he would propose a budget that would ramp up spending on defence but seek savings elsewhere to pay for it.

He is seeking to boost Pentagon spending by $54bn (£43bn) in his first budget proposal, a rise of around 9 per cent on 2016.

The increase in spending closely matches the amount requested in a white paper by John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"We're going to do more with less and make the government lean and accountable," the president said in a meeting with governors in which he said he planned to propose a substantial increase in public safety spending.

“This budget follows through on my promise on keeping Americans safe,” Mr Trump said. “It will include a historic increase in defence spending.”

He told the nation's governors at the White House he will rebuild the "depleted military."