WASHINGTON — President Trump on Monday will propose major spending cuts across a range of domestic government programs while seeking a large increase for the Pentagon, a budget plan that’s already encountering withering opposition from Democrats who control the House, as well as some Republicans.

The budget has little chance of becoming law because of bipartisan resistance to many of its elements, but it sets forth the White House’s vision ahead of what is expected to be a fierce battle over government spending later this year.

President Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron walk to board Air Force One on Friday at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. They were en route to Lee County, Ala., where tornadoes killed 23 people and caused widespread damage last Sunday. Associated Press/Carolyn Kaster

Even with deep spending cuts, the president’s plan would not balance the budget until the mid-2030s, two people briefed on the plan said, falling short of the 10-year time frame that Republicans have sought for years. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the plan ahead of its public release.

Instead, Trump’s advisers say the budget would balance after 15 years because they presume that economic growth will continue at high levels and bring in more revenue, a prediction that many economists have said is not possible.

Still, the White House’s new 15-year deficit target illustrates the fiscal constraints of an agenda that prioritizes tax cuts and increased defense spending while simultaneously protecting big-ticket items like Medicare from any major changes.

The proposal is Trump’s first comprehensive budget blueprint since Democrats took control of the House in January. Unlike in the past two years, White House officials say they plan to forcefully fight for the proposed cuts, hoping to draw a sharp contrast with Democrats on Capitol Hill.

And the White House plans to expand its effort to cut anti-poverty programs. It will propose strict new work requirements for “able-bodied” Americans across a range of welfare programs, including health care, housing and nutrition assistance.

Many Republicans have said these programs are bloated with waste and discourage people from returning to work. But Democrats have fiercely opposed such requirements in the past, saying they penalize the poor and strip benefits from those in need.

Democrats – and even some Republicans – are already girding for battle with the Trump administration over many of the other proposed reductions, which they say are draconian and would severely restrict a range of government programs, from food assistance to foreign aid.

“Clearly it’s a nonstarter in the House,” said Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth, D-Ky., adding that Democrats have no plans to include the domestic spending cuts. “Obviously we’re going to disregard it.”

Complicating matters for the White House, key Republicans this week signaled that parts of the budget plan would be met with a visceral reaction from both parties once it is formally presented.

“It’s hard to maintain a straight face with that kind of proposal,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

Presidential budgets are routinely rebuffed by Capitol Hill, and Trump’s previous efforts have been no exception. The White House has proposed cuts previously, but officials have backed down and agreed to bipartisan deals to increase spending.

Administration officials are hoping to pivot to targeting spending this time around, particularly as the 2020 election nears and they try to draw Democrats into a debate about the size of government.

“Time and again, Congress has ignored presidential cost-saving recommendations and plowed ahead with irresponsible budgets that increase both spending and the size of government. This needs to stop,” acting White House budget director Russell Vought wrote in a recent opinion piece. “It is time for Congress to join the president in his commitment to cutting spending.”

Lawmakers have funded the government through the end of September, but if the White House and Congress don’t reach a new spending deal by that point, they could face another shutdown. Both parties are expected to spend the next few months detailing their proposals, and the White House will take the first step Monday.

In his budget plan, Trump will propose major cuts to domestic and international programs that provide foreign aid, environmental protection and transportation, among other initiatives.

Overall, the White House will seek a 5 percent reduction in spending for these programs compared with caps that were due to go into place next year. Spending for these programs must be approved by Congress each year, and many lawmakers see the proposed cuts as unlikely to get traction.

“Cutting 5 percent of all the other programs? It’d be hard. Plus you got the House, too,” said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala. “I think that’d be a difficult task.”

The White House says cuts to these programs will help restrain overall spending levels, even though these programs represent a relatively small portion of the broader budget.

Lawmakers eight years ago put in place budget caps on certain programs, but Congress has routinely raised those caps to prevent big cuts from going into effect. Trump will propose keeping the caps in place for the first time in his presidency, though he will also propose shifting close to $175 billion in defense and emergency money into another fund that does not face the same restrictions. A large portion would go into a fund known as Overseas Contingency Operations. The Obama administration also used this account for defense money, drawing complaints from lawmakers of both parties that the White House was relying on a budget gimmick, a point Cole repeated Friday.

Recent spending deals have involved Democrats accepting big Pentagon funding increases pushed by Republicans, in exchange for Republican support for comparable domestic investments. Lawmakers expect that they will ultimately reach an agreement along similar lines this time, too, which would amount to a bipartisan repudiation of the president’s budget blueprint – although Democrats intend to push for even higher levels of nondefense domestic spending now that they control the House.

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