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Evening StandardCold warKingston Universitydefense budgetsgeopoliticsGlobal SecurityMilitary SpendingLondon•••3wks ago

Global Military Spending Soars to Highest Rate Since Cold War Amid Rising Tensions

Global military spending surged to $2.718 trillion in 2024, marking a 9.4% increase from the previous year—the largest annual jump since the Cold War. This sharp rise is driven by ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as heightened geopolitical tensions worldwide. Pressure from political leaders, including former U.S. President Trump, has also contributed to increased defense budgets. The trend reflects widespread concerns over security and a global shift toward greater militarization. Experts warn that this escalation could further destabilize international relations.

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Map Shows Nations Raising Military Spending As Global Tensions Escalate

https://newsweek.com

Global military expenditure in 2024 reached $2.718 trillion, a 9.4 percent increase from 2023—the steepest annual rise since the end of the Cold War.

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Hegseth Out, DeSantis In? Trump Rethinks Defense Pick

President-elect Donald Trump is considering Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a possible replacement for Pete Hegseth, his pick to run the Pentagon, according to people familiar with the discussions, amid Republican senators’ concerns over mounting allegations about the former Fox News host’s personal life.Picking DeSantis, a 2024 GOP primary rival for the presidency, would amount to a stunning turn for Trump. But he would also find in the governor a well-known conservative with a service record who shares Trump’s—and Hegseth’s—view on culling what they see as “woke” policies in the military.Trump allies increasingly think Hegseth might not survive further scrutiny, according to people close to the president-elect’s team, which considers the next 48 hours to be crucial to his fate.DeSantis, who served as a Navy lawyer in Iraq and the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, was on an earlier list of potential defense-secretary candidates that transition officials presented to the president. Trump ultimately went with Hegseth. But as Hegseth’s nomination has faltered, that list has been revived and DeSantis is again among the choices Trump is considering, the people said.The discussions are in their early stages, one of the people said, adding that Trump has floated DeSantis’s name in casual conversations with guests at Mar-a-Lago, his private Florida club.Trump could decide not to choose DeSantis and select another replacement, if Hegseth’s nomination falls apart, the people said. Another potential defense-secretary candidate who has been discussed by Trump allies, according to people familiar with the matter, is Elbridge Colby, a former Pentagon official and ally of Vice President-elect JD Vance. Trump is also considering Sen. Joni Ernst (R., Iowa) for the job, some of the people said.DeSantis was once seen as an acolyte of Trump but his decision to challenge the former president in the 2024 GOP primary began a conflict between them, with Trump casting DeSantis as disloyal. Trump easily prevailed in the primary and friends of the two have worked to repair the relationship.

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