On Nov. 3, Democrats won both chambers of Congress. Guam split its own ticket: a Republican governor and Legislature and, pending official results, a Democratic delegate in Alicia Limtiaco.
Since then, most of the commentary has focused on whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will be impeached. For Guam, that is the wrong headline. The number that will shape our island over the next two years is the fiscal year 2027 defense appropriation.
The administration asked for $1.5 trillion in defense spending, about 66 percent more than the prior year. Democrats oppose it.
Washington Democratic Rep. Adam Smith, expected to chair the House Armed Services Committee, has said national security does not require a budget above $1 trillion. A smaller top line means Guam’s military construction will face stiffer competition. Guam received about $1.06 billion in military construction in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY2026. We should expect slower growth, not a reversal.
There is a fair case that Guam could do better under this Congress than many fear. Democrats are objecting to the Iran war, not to deterrence against China. If Congress forces that war to wind dow...