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The American Civil Liberties Union today announced the winners of its 2009 Youth Activist Scholarship contest. Sixteen high school seniors from across the country will each receive a $12,500 college scholarship in recognition of their outstanding work to protect civil liberties, especially for young people.
Since 2000, the ACLU has awarded scholarships annually to honor the efforts of graduating seniors who have demonstrated a strong commitment to civil liberties and civil rights through student activism. Last year, the ACLU greatly increased the scholarship amount and expanded the program to include a youth activist institute, bringing the winners together to further their civil liberties work.
"These students stepped up to defend their rights as students and as Americans during a time when civil liberties were under constant attack," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. "We know they will remain vigilant even as America begins to repair the damage that has been done. We are so pleased to be able to offer this scholarship to America's next generation of civil liberties leaders."
Below are highlights of the accomplishments of this year's winners and quotes from their personal essays. Full profiles and photos are available by clicking on the winners' names.
Elizabeth Asefa
Cambridge, MA
As a high school junior, Elizabeth created and taught a class to seventh grade boys and girls at her former middle school aimed at lowering the risk that they would enter into the "school-to-prison" pipeline. She has also played a leadership role in youth summits, the Minority Student Achievement Network, the Cambridge Peace and Justice Corps, Students Teaching and Advocating Respect and other activities designed to address injustice, racism, violence, the school to prison pipeline and other issues facing youth in her community.
"I couldn't pretend that my age could be a real deterrent from making a dent in the pipeline that was shamelessly transporting my peers from school to prison. I knew I had to start in my time, for my generation."
Anne Bartholomew
Juneau, AK
As the lead defense attorney for the Juneau Youth Court, Anne is dedicated to helping young people between the ages of 12 and 17 facing legal trouble gain a second chance. In this position she discovered certain trends of biased sentencing for Alaska Native youth, whose voices often go unheard in the community, and worked for the next three years to reduce that inequality. Anne also acts as a resource to the community for issues concerning youth, including serving on a panel at a town hall meeting about underage drinking, on the Truancy and Dropout Coalition and on the Alaska State Activities Association Board of Directors.
"Through service to juvenile offenders, I became a civil liberties activist seeking equal justice for Alaska Native students. I realized that there was an unintended bias in our sentencing, and that action needed to be taken to restore equality within the Juneau Youth Court."
Sangeeta Bhola
Oceanside, NY
Sangeeta Bhola has grown into a leader of human rights advocacy at her school as an active member and leader in her school's Gay-Straight Alliance. She has overcome fears of ridicule from her peers in order to speak out about equality for LGBT students. Sangeeta is now the president of the GSA and has successfully lobbied her school to adopt the Safe Schools Initiative and begun work on a plan to curb hate speech.
"Our country has based itself on diversity and individuality, but many individuals are not allowed to express who they truly are. I would like to hope that our government realizes that by not protecting the LGBT community, they are greatly harming students as well as adults."
Constance Castillo
San Francisco, CA
Constance Castillo became an active member of her local ACLU Youth Activist Committee as a high school freshman. Over the last four years, she has visited state prisons, written op-eds, facilitated workshops on gender in the media and police brutality, and helped organize a social justice youth conference attended by youth from all over northern California. During that time, Constance has also created spoken word performances, film and art installations to speak to the issues that are important to her, and co-founded a club, S.P.E.A.K., where students address issues such as media influence and equity in education.
"Through spoken word poetry, I was able to share with urgency the many injustices I cared about with a large audience of youth that cared about what I had to say."
Alex Freid
Lee, NH
As a sophomore, Alex Fried was surprised to find recruiters from the National Guard setting up obstacle courses in his high school gym. After doing some research, Alex concluded that the military sometimes uses misleading information and false promises to recruit young people, so he decided to launch a campaign to make sure students have access to the information they need to make informed decisions about what to do after graduation. What began as a one-person effort to educate students on their right to "opt out" of sharing their personal information with recruiters and to offer information on alternative programs turned into the launch of a local chapter of Students for a Democratic Society. Now boasting over 80 members from local high schools and the University of New Hampshire, the group works to counter excessive military recruitment in the schools and to protect student rights.
"I believe that a civil liberties activist must not only make their own voice heard, but must organize others as well. I saw the need for an organization that cared about students' rights as much as I did, and for a sustainable group that could continue after I graduate."
Heather Gillman
Ponce de Leon, FL
When school officials at her school banned all rainbow-themed clothing and began punishing students for writing "gay pride" on their arms and notebooks, Heather Gilman filed a lawsuit to protect students' First Amendment rights. The lawsuit was an act of extreme bravery, since Heather faced intimidation and ridicule from her principal and others. Heather eventually won her case, reaffirming the right of students to express their support for their gay and lesbian peers.
A video about Heather's case is available online at: www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/38778res20090224.html
"I did not fully realize how much this meant to me and others until Judge Smoak made his decision. I looked around the courtroom and saw tears in the eyes of most of the people there. I had seen it as just doing what was right."
Dora James
Hartford, KY
After enduring personal ridicule and learning of acts of violence against her fellow students, Dora James helped to start a Gay-Straight Alliance in her rural Kentucky community. Facing threats and protests, Dora met with the superintendent and local ministers to ensure that the GSA could continue to operate so that other students could feel safe at school.
"I felt something had to happen, and that it was up to me to make it happen. I could make a difference. I felt that students who didn't get support at home should be able to feel safe at school."
Rachel Kaplan
Fairbanks, AK
After reading about an ACLU client who was prevented from boarding a flight until he agreed to cover up his shirt that read "We Will Not Be Silent" in English and Arabic, Rachel Kaplan decided to take action. She started by distributing shirts with the same message to a large group of students at her school, which drew attention to the issue and got the whole school talking. After that, Rachel became the student advisor to the ACLU of Alaska's Board of Directors, helping to plan a student leadership conference and travelling to the nationwide ACLU membership conference where she lobbied Alaska's lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Rachel continues to use the skills she learned working with the ACLU to be a leader in the grassroots civil liberties movement in her school, community and state.
"Civil liberties activists have a constructive purpose driving their actions. They are a type of artist, carefully selecting their form of protest to convey their message and convince their audience of its importance."
Hannah Kapp-Klote
Lawrence, KS
As the president of her school's Gay-Straight Alliance and a board member of the district Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, Hannah Kapp-Klote has long been devoted to promoting the rights of LGBTQ youth. As a high school junior, she discovered a new medium for her activism when she became a co-producer and host of the Tenth Voice, youth radio program focusing on LGBTQ issues. Hannah went to work expanding the content and reach of the show, which has become crucial to promoting the civil liberties of LGBTQ youth in her community. Hannah is also dedicated to promoting religious freedom, and founded a group devoted to combating discrimination against atheists and agnostics though community service and activism.
"If our nation is to protect individual freedoms, we need discussion everywhere, from the floor of Congress to the smallest classroom."
Miles Lifson
Rockville, MD
Miles Lifson's has been an activist since, as a seventh grader, he started an organization dedicated to protecting student rights. Later, as president of the ACLU club which he helped start at his high school, Miles has worked with the principal to reform the school's policy on student privacy and searches and helped create a booklet and Web site detailing students' rights. On his own, Miles embarked on a summer of activism training by volunteering at the ACLU membership conference and attending trainings in grassroots organizing and non-violent action. Miles is now training younger students to continue the work of the ACLU club after he graduates.
"Being a civil liberties activist doesn't just mean standing up for rights, but constantly affirming their value. The most fundamental rights have no meaning if they are not exercised."
Ashley Moffat
Bellevue, NE
Ashley Moffat organized a Gay-Straight Alliance at her high school in Nebraska. Despite the success and obvious need for the group from the very first crowded meeting, school officials refused to recognize the GSA as a legitimate student group - denying it the benefits other clubs receive, like a mention in the yearbook and coverage in the school newspaper. With the help of the ACLU, Ashley has fought to ensure that the group gets the recognition and protection it deserves.
"No matter what I have to do, who I have to fight, or how long it takes me to fight it, I know I will not stop fighting until I, my friends, my family have all the same rights as everyone else."
Daniel Mootz
Carlisle, PA
Whether it's organizing a demonstration to promote reproductive freedom, writing a letter to the editor in favor of a local anti-discrimination ordinance, or fighting to get a political candidate he didn't support on his school's mock election ballot, Daniel Mootz has always fought for civil liberties. Daniel has also received a national writing award for a piece arguing against the honoring of only certain religions with school-recognized holidays, and was a finalist in The Nation's student writing contest for a piece on military recruitment in the schools.
"Civil liberties know no party lines, follow no party dogma. Civil liberties are rooted in the belief of doing what is right to protect freedom, not to promote a political cause."
Colin Moyer
University Place, WA
Colin Moyer became concerned for his First Amendment rights when his tenth grade biology teacher began teaching the theory of intelligent design during a unit on evolution. After doing some research, Colin learned of the Kitzmiller case in Dover, Pennsylvania, where the teaching of intelligent design in science class was deemed unconstitutional. Colin contacted the ACLU and the National Center for Science Education, and together they came up with a plan to work with the school administration to stop the teacher from teaching intelligent design. It worked - the issue was quickly resolved and the material is no longer being taught at Colin's school. Colin has also done considerable work to promote free speech by starting an underground newspaper and educating student journalists on their rights regarding censorship.
"For me, being an activist means standing up for people's rights and exposing abuses of power. It is not about a personal agenda or making a scene; it is about defending civil liberties and getting the job done."
Steven Ross
Zionsville, IN
Steven Ross's interest in activism was sparked when he worked with the ACLU of Indiana to successfully challenge his town's unconstitutional curfew ordinance. Recognizing the many threats to the civil liberties of young people, Steven went on to found the Zionsville Students' Rights Union in order to protect students' rights and protect youth rights outside of school. Under his leadership, the group has grown to more than 450 members, become affiliated with the National Youth Rights Administration (NYRA), and worked to reform various school policies. Colin is also supervising the establishment of more NYRA chapters throughout Indiana. The groups is currently working to promote the rights of LGBT students and to protect religious freedom in the schools.
"The greatest problem, I believe, was that students felt they had no voice to challenge the issues that unduly threatened their civil liberties. I suggested to my fellow students that we form an independent student group to become that voice."
Grace Sun
Houston, TX
Despite attempts by school officials to stop her, Grace Sun fought to form the Bellaire Young Democrats club. And to ensure that all students at her school had a platform to express themselves, she also helped a group of friends form the Bellaire Young Republican club. From there, she launched the "Under 21 Campaign," an effort to increase political involvement among young citizens in her county, and organized registration drives and "get out the vote" efforts among young voters. Grace's belief in the importance of giving youth a voice in their community doesn't stop there - she has also served on the Houston Mayor's Youth Council and stands up for First Amendment rights as the a student journalist.
"Through my experiences, I've learned that we have to be willing to stand up and fight for what we believe in. Perhaps equally important, I've learned that nothing happens unless we make it happen."
Natalia Thompson
Madison, WI
Natalia Thompson is dedicated to helping young women take action on the issues that matter to them most. At 15, she founded Speak Out, Sister!, a city-wide organization to get teen girls involved in the decisions that effect them, like policies on sexual harassment and access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare. To help them take a stand, Natalia organized a forum for high school girls to develop the skills they need to get involved, and the forum evolved into a series of workshops emphasizing local social justice issues, women's history and grassroots organizing. Natalia has also been hard at work organizing a girl-written Platform for Action on civil liberties issues affecting young women in her community, which will provide comprehensive recommendations on six main issues to policymakers.
"I realized most local initiatives and policies were developed by adults - with little input from the young women directly impacted by their decisions."
A full list of the winners is available online at: www.aclu.org/students/38938res20090305.html
The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 and is our nation's guardian of liberty. The ACLU works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.
(212) 549-2666The progressive senator underscored that the Israeli leader has been indicted by the International Criminal Court "for overseeing the systematic killing and starvation of civilians in Gaza."
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday as the fugitive from the International Criminal Court met with lawmakers ahead of a second White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to advance plans for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from the embattled Gaza Strip.
"As President Trump and members of Congress roll out the red carpet for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, let's remember that Netanyahu has been indicted as a war criminal by the International Criminal Court for overseeing the systematic killing and starvation of civilians in Gaza," Sanders (I-Vt.) said in a statement.
"This is the man Trump and Congress are welcoming this week: a war criminal who will be remembered as one of modern history's monsters," the senator continued. "His extremist government has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians and wounded almost 135,000, 60% of whom are women, children, or elderly people. The United Nations reports that at least 17,000 children have been killed and more than 25,000 wounded. More than 3,000 children in Gaza have had one or more limbs amputated."
"At this moment, hundreds of thousands of people are starving after Israel prevented any aid from entering Gaza for nearly three months," Sanders noted. "In the last six weeks, Israel has allowed a trickle of aid to get in, but has tried to replace the established United Nations distribution system with a private foundation backed by security contractors. This has been a catastrophe, with near-daily massacres at the new aid distribution sites. In its first five weeks in operation, 640 people have been killed and at least 4,488 injured while trying to access food through this mechanism."
Trump and Netanyahu—who said Monday that he nominated the U.S. president for the Nobel Peace Prize—are expected to discuss ongoing efforts to reach a new deal to secure the release of the 22 remaining Israeli and other hostages held by Hamas since the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, as well as plans for giving Gazans what the prime minister described as a "better future" by finding third countries willing to accept forcibly displaced Palestinians.
Critics said such euphemistic language is an attempt to give cover to Israel's plan to ethnically cleanse and indefinitely occupy Gaza. Observers expressed alarm over Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz' Tuesday affirmation of a plan to force all Palestinians in Gaza into a camp at the southern tip of the strip.
"There is no such thing as voluntary displacement amongst a population that has been under constant bombardment for nearly two years and has been cut off from essential aid," Jeremy Konyndyk, president of the advocacy group Refugees International and a former senior official at the U.S. Agency for International Development, told Reuters.
Most Palestinians are vehemently opposed to what they say would amount to a second Nakba, the forced displacement of more than 750,000 people from Palestine during and after the 1948 establishment of the modern state of Israel.
"This is our land," one Palestinian man, Mansour Abu Al-Khaier, told The Times of Israel on Tuesday. "Who would we leave it to, where would we go?"
Another Gazan, Abu Samir el-Fakaawi, told the newspaper: "I will not leave Gaza. This is my country. Our children who were martyred in the war are buried here. Our families. Our friends. Our cousins. We are all buried here. Whether Trump or Netanyahu or anyone else likes it or not, we are staying on this land."
Officials at the United Nations—whose judicial body, the International Court of Justice, is weighing a genocide case against Israel brought by South Africa and supported by around two dozen countries—condemned any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.
"This raises concerns with regards to forcible transfer—the concept of voluntary transfers in the context that we are seeing in Gaza right now [is] very questionable," Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said Tuesday.
The high court's decision to "release the president's wrecking ball at the outset of this litigation," said Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, "is not only truly unfortunate but also hubristic and senseless."
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a block on U.S. President Donald Trump's February executive order directing federal agency leaders to "promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force" and a related memorandum.
In response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of labor unions, local governments, and nonprofits, Judge Susan Illston—appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by former President Bill Clinton—had issued a temporary restraining order and then a preliminary injunction, which was upheld by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in May.
That legal battle led to the Supreme Court's shadow docket, where emergency decisions don't have to be signed. The Tuesday opinion from the high court's unidentified majority states that Illston's injunction was based on a view that Trump's order implementing his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) "Workforce Optimization Initiative" and a joint memo from the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management "are unlawful."
"Because the government is likely to succeed on its argument that the executive order and memorandum are lawful—and because the other factors bearing on whether to grant a stay are satisfied—we grant the application," the Supreme Court continued, emphasizing that the justices did not weigh in on the legality of any related agency reduction in force (RIF) and reorganization plans.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court allows the Trump administration to resume agency mass-firing plans over the dissent of Justice Jackson, who criticized "this Court’s demonstrated enthusiasm for greenlighting this President’s legally dubious actions in an emergency posture." More to come at Law Dork:
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— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner.bsky.social) July 8, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Only Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson publicly dissented on Tuesday. Another liberal, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, wrote in a short concurrence that "the plans themselves are not before this court, at this stage, and we thus have no occasion to consider whether they can and will be carried out consistent with the constraints of law. I join the court's stay because it leaves the district court free to consider those questions in the first instance."
Meanwhile, Jackson argued that "given the fact-based nature of the issue in this case and the many serious harms that result from allowing the president to dramatically reconfigure the federal government, it was eminently reasonable for the district court to maintain the status quo while the courts evaluate the lawfulness of the president's executive action."
She continued:
At bottom, this case is about whether that action amounts to a structural overhaul that usurps Congress' policymaking prerogatives—and it is hard to imagine deciding that question in any meaningful way after those changes have happened. Yet, for some reason, this court sees fit to step in now and release the president's wrecking ball at the outset of this litigation.
In my view, this decision is not only truly unfortunate but also hubristic and senseless. Lower court judges have their fingers on the pulse of what is happening on the ground and are indisputably best positioned to determine the relevant facts—including those that underlie fair assessments of the merits, harms, and equities. I see no basis to conclude that the district court erred—let alone clearly so—in finding that the president is attempting to fundamentally restructure the federal government.
Mark Joseph Stern, who covers the courts for Slate, said on social media that "Justice Jackson's criticism is spot-on, of course. But as Justice Sotomayor's concurrence suggests, SCOTUS' order looks like a negotiated compromise that leaves the district court room to block future RIFs and agency 'restructuring.' So the damage is limited."
"The real test will be what happens once agencies start to develop and implement plans for mass firings—which will, by and large, be illegal," he warned. "District courts still have discretion, for now, to stop them. Will SCOTUS freeze their orders and let unlawful RIFs and restructurings proceed? I fear it will."
Trump’s firings at federal agencies have upended the lives of thousands of workers.These are the people who oversee air safety, food and drug safety, disaster response, public health, and much more.Replacing civil servants with Trump loyalists is right out of Project 2025.
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— Robert Reich (@rbreich.bsky.social) July 8, 2025 at 5:13 PM
The coalition that challenged the order and memo includes the American Federation of Government Employees and four AFGE locals; American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Service Employees International Union and three SEIU Locals; Alliance for Retired Americans; American Geophysical Union; American Public Health Association; Center for Taxpayer Rights; Coalition to Protect America's National Parks; Common Defense; Main Street Alliance; Natural Resources Defense Council; Northeast Organic Farming Association Inc.; VoteVets; and Western Watersheds Project.
It also includes the governments of Baltimore, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois; Harris County, Texas; King County, Washington; and both San Francisco and Santa Clara County in California.
"Today's decision has dealt a serious blow to our democracy and puts services that the American people rely on in grave jeopardy," the coalition said Tuesday. "This decision does not change the simple and clear fact that reorganizing government functions and laying off federal workers en masse haphazardly without any congressional approval is not allowed by our Constitution."
"While we are disappointed in this decision," the coalition added, "we will continue to fight on behalf of the communities we represent and argue this case to protect critical public services that we rely on to stay safe and healthy."
Congressman Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, was similarly critical but determined on Tuesday.
"The Trump-appointed Supreme Court just surrendered to a dangerous vision for America, letting the administration gut federal agencies by firing expert civil servants," he said. " The damage from these mass firings will last for decades, and weaken the government’s ability to respond to disasters and provide essential benefits and services. Oversight Democrats will not sit back as Trump turns the court into a political weapon. We will keep fighting to protect the American people and prevent the destruction of our federal agencies."
"These figures represent a continuing and massive transfer of wealth from taxpayers to fund war and weapons manufacturing," said the project's director.
Less than a week after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a budget package that pushes annual military spending past $1 trillion, researchers on Tuesday published a report detailing how much major Pentagon contractors have raked in since 2020.
Sharing The Guardian's exclusive coverage of the paper on social media, U.K.-based climate scientist Bill McGuire wrote: "Are you a U.S. taxpayer? I am sure you will be delighted to know where $2.4 TRILLION of your money has gone."
The report from the Costs of War Project at Brown University's Watson School of International and Public Affairs and the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft shows that from 2020-24 private firms received $2.4 trillion in Department of Defense contracts, or roughly 54% of DOD's $4.4 trillion in discretionary spending for that five-year period.
The publication highlights that "during those five years, $771 billion in Pentagon contracts went to just five firms: Lockheed Martin ($313 billion), RTX (formerly Raytheon, $145 billion), Boeing ($115 billion), General Dynamics ($116 billion), and Northrop Grumman ($81 billion)."
In a statement about the findings, Stephanie Savell, director of the Costs of War Project, said that "these figures represent a continuing and massive transfer of wealth from taxpayers to fund war and weapons manufacturing."
"This is not an arsenal of democracy—it's an arsenal of profiteering," Savell added. "We should keep the enormous and growing power of the arms industry in mind as we assess the rise of authoritarianism in the U.S. and globally."
Between 2020 and 2024, $771 billion in Pentagon contracts went to just five firms: Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman. By comparison, the total diplomacy, development, and humanitarian aid budget, excluding military aid, was $356 billion. [5/12]
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— The Costs of War Project (@costsofwar.bsky.social) July 8, 2025 at 2:43 PM
The paper points out that "by comparison, the total diplomacy, development, and humanitarian aid budget, excluding military aid, was $356 billion. In other words, the U.S. government invested over twice as much money in five weapons companies as in diplomacy and international assistance."
"Record arms transfers have further boosted the bottom lines of weapons firms," the document details. "These companies have benefited from tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Israel and Ukraine, paid for by U.S. taxpayers. U.S. military aid to Israel was over $18 billion in just the first year following October 2023; military aid to Ukraine totals $65 billion since the Russian invasion in 2022 through 2025."
"Additionally, a surge in foreign-funded arms sales to European allies, paid for by the recipient nations—over $170 billion in 2023 and 2024 alone—have provided additional revenue to arms contractors over and above the funds they receive directly from the Pentagon," the paper adds.
The 23-page report stresses that "annual U.S. military spending has grown significantly this century," as presidents from both major parties have waged a so-called Global War on Terror and the DOD has continuously failed to pass an audit.
Specifically, according to the paper, "the Pentagon's discretionary budget—the annual funding approved by Congress and the large majority of its overall budget—rose from $507 billion in 2000 to $843 billion in 2025 (in constant 2025 dollars), a 66% increase. Including military spending outside the Pentagon—primarily nuclear weapons programs at the Department of Energy, counterterrorism operations at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other military activities officially classified under 'Budget Function 050'— total military spending grew from $531 billion in 2000 to $899 billion in 2025, a 69% increase."
Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed earlier this month "adds $156 billion to this year's total, pushing the 2025 military budget to $1.06 trillion," the document notes. "After taking into account this supplemental funding, the U.S. military budget has nearly doubled this century, increasing 99% since 2000."
Noting that "taxpayers are expected to fund a $1 trillion Pentagon budget," Security Policy Reform Institute co-founder Stephen Semler said the paper, which he co-authored, "illustrates what they'll be paying for: a historic redistribution of wealth from the public to private industry.”
Semler produced the report with William Hartung, senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute. Hartung said that "high Pentagon budgets are often justified because the funds are 'for the troops.'"
"But as this paper shows, the majority of the department's budget goes to corporations, money that has as much to do with special interest lobbying as it does with any rational defense planning," he continued. "Much of this funding has been wasted on dysfunctional or overpriced weapons systems and extravagant compensation packages."
The arms industry has used an array of tools of influence to create an atmosphere where a Pentagon budget that is $1 trillion per year is deemed “not enough” by some members of Congress. [9/12]
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— The Costs of War Project (@costsofwar.bsky.social) July 8, 2025 at 2:43 PM
In addition to spotlighting how U.S. military budgets funnel billions of dollars to contractors each year, the report shines a light on the various ways the industry influences politics.
"The ongoing influence of the arms industry over Congress operates through tens of millions in campaign contributions and the employment of 950 lobbyists, as of 2024," the publication explains. "Military contractors also shape military policy and lobby to increase military spending by funding think tanks and serving on government commissions."
"Senior officials in government often go easy on major weapons companies so as not to ruin their chances of getting lucrative positions with them upon leaving government service," the report notes. "For its part, the emerging military tech sector has opened a new version of the revolving door—the movement of ex-military officers and senior Pentagon officials, not to arms companies per se, but to the venture capital firms that invest in Silicon Valley arms industry startups."
The paper concludes by arguing that "the U.S. needs stronger congressional and public scrutiny of both current and emerging weapons contractors to avoid wasteful spending and reckless decision-making on issues of war and peace. Profits should not drive policy."
"In particular," it adds, "the role of Silicon Valley startups and the venture capital firms that support them needs to be better understood and debated as the U.S. crafts a new foreign policy strategy that avoids unnecessary wars and prioritizes cooperation over confrontation."