This report contextualizes the Biden administration’s discretionary funding request for the U.S.Department of Defense (DoD) in fiscal year (FY) 2022, referred to as the “skinny” budget request.The report considers what this initial request—which has not yet been touched by Congress—maymean for the full FY 2022 Presidential Budget Request, given the identified priorities and availableresources. The only detailed figure included in the defense budget request is the topline of $715billion, which is higher than former President Donald Trump’s $705 billion FY 2021 budget request.However, when adjusted for inflation, it amounts to a flat budget.

This report identifies several strategic objectives from the skinny budget request, the Bidenadministration’s interim national security strategic guidance, and the priorities publicly laid out byDoD leadership for which the U.S. government will need to allocate resources. These objectiveshave implications for ongoing departmental efforts and resourcing. The authors assert that: