Pentagon reveals FY26 intelligence budget at $30.9 billion
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department revealed today that its Military Intelligence Program (MIP) budget for fiscal 2026 was $30.9 billion.
The figure represents a jump of about $3 billion from FY25, but falls $2.7 billion short of its $33.6 billion request for this year.
In a brief announcement, DoD said the figure was “aligned to the National Defense Strategy,” but declined to release further details as “they remain classified for national security reasons.”
At the same time, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence revealed a National Intelligence Program (NIP) budget of $78.1 billion — nearly $5 billion more than last year but also short of the $81.9 billion the office requested for FY26.
Overseen by ODNI, the NIP funds strategic intelligence gathering for policymakers and covers the CIA, NSA and other broad-strokes intelligence-gathering organizations — including military agencies like the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, according to a 2024 congressional report [PDF].
The NIP also funds some of the most closely held operations, known as Sensitive Compartmented Information programs, “throughout the intelligence community,” according to the report.
By contrast, the MIP is overseen by the Pentagon and “funds defense intelligence activities intended to support operational and tactical level intelligence priorities supporting defense operations.” The IC’s 18 members include nine DoD “components,” such as the intelligence arms of each service, and nine non-DoD components, like the CIA, DEA, FBI and the Treasury Department’s intelligence unit.
However, the congressional report notes that the NIP and MIP do not make up the total of US spending on intelligence and don’t account for some “intelligence-gathering entities that support a department-specific mission [and] use department funds” in the sprawling national security community. Nor does the MIP cover certain intelligence-related platforms, like some drone programs, if intelligence gathering is not the system’s primary mission.
The Defense Department revealed its Military Intelligence Program budget for fiscal year 2026, totaling $30.9 billion, which is $3 billion more than the previous year but $2.7 billion less than requested. Concurrently, the National Intelligence Program budget was announced at $78.1 billion, also falling short of its request. Both budgets are aligned with national defense strategies and support various intelligence activities.
- The MIP budget for FY26 is $30.9 billion, a $3 billion increase from FY25.
- The MIP budget is $2.7 billion short of the requested $33.6 billion.
- The NIP budget is $78.1 billion, nearly $5 billion more than last year but short of the requested $81.9 billion.
- The MIP funds defense intelligence activities to support operational and tactical level intelligence priorities.
- The NIP funds strategic intelligence gathering for policymakers.