Long Wait for FY 2026 Budget Could Hinder Congressional Consideration

The Trump administration has yet to submit its FY 2026 budget request to Congress that will detail its spending plans for the forthcoming fiscal year, with further delays threatening to slow congressional consideration and the appropriations process.

1. Context: The White House is statutorily required to submit its budget for the forthcoming fiscal year to Congress by the first Monday of February. However, administrations rarely submit their requests on time, particularly in the first year of their tenure, as they make changes to a budget that was developed by the outgoing administration. The Biden administration submitted its first budget for FY 2022 on May 28, 2021, surpassing the Trump administration’s FY 2018 budget as the latest request.
2. History: The tardy submission of the annual budget request has proliferated under the last three administrations. The White House last submitted a budget request on time for FY 2016—10 years ago—during the Obama administration. The Biden and first Trump administrations failed to submit any requests on time, while the Obama administration only submitted two on time.
3. Impact: Congress expects the administration to send a “skinny” budget for FY 2026 by the end of April, which will provide limited details about the request as a signpost to legislators of the White House’s intent. However, lengthy delays in the submission of the full budget request can hamper timely consideration of the budget and defense authorization bill in Congress and may increase the likelihood that the government begins the fiscal year under an extended continuing resolution—although congressional politics also significantly contribute to delays in passing appropriations.