I was the President of the Draper Chamber of Commerce for 20 years. I was a Draper City Councilman for 8 years. Utah is my home, and we all benefit greatly from a strong defense base, not just for our physical security, but for our economic security as well.

President Trump has requested nearly $1.5 trillion dollars for the 2027 defense budget. That’s a seemingly huge number, but that money is used to pay American businesses and American workers that live here in Utah. Most importantly, the decisions Congress makes when it decides on this critical budget determine whether skilled Utahans have stable careers and how our troops remain ready and our community and country remain safe.

In Utah, we see exactly how that plays out. As an example, work by the defense contractor Northrop Grumman builds critical systems and sustains tens of thousands of jobs in Utah. They create nearly $12.4 billion in economic output and create over 43,000 jobs across a vast, interconnected network of suppliers, manufacturers, and engineers. Significant portions of the new budget, when passed, will maintain and even boost this impact.

A major program that benefits Utah and the United States is the Sentinel program. Sentinel will replace our current land-based nuclear missiles, known as the Minuteman III. These missiles have deterred our adversaries for decades, but it’s time to bring America into the 21st century. Sentinel redesigns our missiles, silos, and launch infrastructure, ensuring peace between superpowers for the next 50 years.

Here in Utah, nearly 15,000 jobs support the Sentinel program. The supplier network designing, constructing, and testing this technology generates more than $4.4 billion in economic output in Utah alone. These programs help sustain a highly skilled workforce and a strong industrial base.

From my time working with local businesses, I know how important consistency is. Companies make hiring and investment decisions based on whether they believe the work will still be there in five to ten years. Skilled workers build careers around that same expectation. Families make plans. When funding is uncertain, that stability starts to erode. And programs like Sentinel fall behind, while China and Russia get ahead.

That is why the defense budget matters. It provides the predictability that allows states like Utah to grow while ensuring the United States remains prepared to defend itself.

In Utah, we have seen what that kind of investment supports. It strengthens our workforce, expands our local economy, and connects our communities to a broader national mission.

Continued investment in programs like Sentinel is imperative. It supports national security and sustains the economic foundation that communities like ours rely on every day.

Rappleye is the former CEO of the Draper Area Chamber of Commerce and a former Draper City Councilman.