Defen$e dogfight on deck

The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved a $25 billion boost to the defense budget in its annual spending bill — setting up a showdown with President Biden and House Democrats who pushed for a pared-down number.

The increase was announced as part of the $778 billion National Defense Authorization Act, a bill that has passed every Congress in the last 60 years, which the panel announced it had voted to advance Thursday evening.

The $778 billion price tag includes about $28 billion for Energy Department national security programs and $10 billion on defense activities at other agencies, leaving $740.3 billion for the Defense Department.

That number marks a $25 billion increase from the $715 billion requested by Biden.

Almost certainly in Biden’s corner will be those to his left in the House and Senate, who have already bristled at the idea of increasing the budget from what then-President Donald Trump approved last year.

Left-wing pols have largely been pushing for a 10 percent cut, something extremely unlikely to pass the House or Senate.