
Lawmakers hoping to see the Trump administration put money toward repeated promises to significantly grow the military were disappointed in the Pentagon’s fiscal 2018 budget request, which Defense Department officials say is one step in a multi-rung ladder toDuring a marathon late-night hearing June 12, members of the House Armed Services Committee pushed Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford on why the $639 billion funding plan included only nine new ships…