The libertarian stance on Donald Trump’s increase in defense spending is that it is twofold in its benefits.

While a majority of the liberty movement would agree with me in saying a net decrease in government spending across the board is a good thing, I believe money spent on departments such as the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Education, Department of Justice, Department of Labor and Department of Energy is much better spent on national defense.

Personally, I believe these departments are both the most useless of the governmental agencies as well as the departments with the greatest propensity to infringe upon Americans’ civil liberties.

To conclude, libertarian principles would dictate that “trimming the fat” off of the leviathan that the federal government has become is cause for celebration. While some Libertarians will disagree that funds being allocated to the Department of Defense is not a good thing, I believe it is a much wiser allocation of funds than we have seen under past administrations.

Austin Van Schaick is the president of the Hofstra Students for Liberty.

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