GOP’s 2026 NDAA Doesn’t Go Far Enough for America First Principles

Previous administrations gutted the American military, pushing social justice agendas over warfighting. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is a tool Republicans can use to re-establish American military dominance.

The NDAA should be a blueprint for military priorities, but this year’s bill falls far short in several areas.

For nearly a year, the Restoration of America Foundation has outlined these crystal clear priorities through its Restore the Military, designed to help Congress rebuild America’s fighting forces.

While President Trump and War Sec. Hegseth have enacted important reforms, it’s imperative these directives be solidified into law. Otherwise, future administrations can easily undo these gains and weaken America’s military with a stroke of a pen. One way of solidifying these actions is through the NDAA.

One concern with this year’s NDAA was the process by which it was adopted. Typically, the House and Senate adopt their own versions of the bill and then meet in a conference committee to hash out their differences. There is no indication that a conference committee convened this year and the final compromise bill was not published until just 3 days before the House vote.

How many Republicans actually read the final 3,086-page long bill?

Republicans have full control of Congress, yet they’ve missed an opportunity to use their power to solidify President Trump’s entire agenda into law. Here are the worst mistakes that need correcting.

A Failure to Include Key Provisions

Merit-based practices must be infused into all aspects of the military, including service academies. The best qualified individual based on merit—not race or gender—should be chosen for promotions or academy appointments. That includes abolishing all DEI-based training requirements and personnel positions.

The 2026 NDAA includes a provision to prohibit DEI programs and offices at the Department of War and prohibits males from competing in women’s sports at service academies, both of which are commendable. Yet the final bill doesn’t go nearly far enough.

Eliminated from the final iteration is a key provision that would’ve required race neutrality and exclusive use of merit in personnel decisions.

Also excluded was an essential section to require merit-based admissions practices at the service academies.

Sec. Hegseth did his job by issuing a directive that prohibits race, ethnicity, or sex-based considerations but that action could be changed under a new administration with one simple memo.

Language prohibiting the use of federal funds for DEI was also struck from the final bill. The original Senate bill placed a restriction on taxpayer funds being used for sex change surgeries, but that section was also removed in the final bill.

President Trump’s America First warfighting agenda must be a priority. The President wants America to focus on its own military needs and not be the world’s police force. Our overseas commitments have also drained crucial military supplies. The United States should establish enough equipment and supplies to fight two major wars simultaneously—and pick its battles carefully.

A provision was removed from the final NDAA bill that would’ve provided a 2-year extension of America’s responsibility to provide a weapons stockpile for Israel. This is in alignment with President Trump’s focus on America’s own stockpiles that are dangerously low and must be prioritized.

The final bill also rejected the creation of a weapons depot maintenance plan for the Ukraine—funded by America taxpayers.

The 2026 NDAA provision to provide a troop salary increase and to eliminate over $1 billion in climate change-related programs are also to be commended.

Still, Republicans have failed to utilize their firm majority to push through the President’s full agenda.

Nor is Congress supporting Trump’s plan to downsize forces overseas. A new NDAA provision prohibits a reduction in forces on the Korean Peninsula. This item was strongly opposed by President Trump because it limits his authority as Commander in Chief. Yet it remains in the final bill.

The original Senate bill included a prohibition on contracts between certain foreign entities and institutions of higher education conducting Department of War-funded research. This legislation would have closed dangerous back door openings for China and other adversaries to have access to U.S. defense research. Republicans failed to include this in the final iteration.

While Sec. Hegseth and President Trump have issued directives to put the military on the correct trajectory, more must be done. Since executive orders and war department memos could simply be undone by a different administration, they must be solidified into law.

Republicans dropped the ball. They had the chance to cement transformative reforms into law. Instead, they delivered a half-baked bill that leaves America’s military vulnerable to the whims of future leadership.

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Victoria Manning is a Senior Investigative Researcher for Restoration News specializing in education freedom, immigration, and military issues. She is the author of Behind the Wall of Government Schools. Victoria served 8 years as an elected school board member and has a master’s degree in law. She also brings the perspective of a military spouse and mother to her reporting. Email Victoria HERE

First published on Restoration News