diff --git a/src/registrar/forms/domain_request_wizard.py b/src/registrar/forms/domain_request_wizard.py
index 43eb32d7f..bfbc22124 100644
--- a/src/registrar/forms/domain_request_wizard.py
+++ b/src/registrar/forms/domain_request_wizard.py
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ class CisaRepresentativeYesNoForm(BaseYesNoForm):
 
 class AnythingElseForm(BaseDeletableRegistrarForm):
     anything_else = forms.CharField(
-        required=False,
+        required=True,
         label="Anything else?",
         widget=forms.Textarea(),
         validators=[
diff --git a/src/registrar/templates/portfolio_domain_request_additional_details.html b/src/registrar/templates/portfolio_domain_request_additional_details.html
index 08dc23c0b..3c5b50d6b 100644
--- a/src/registrar/templates/portfolio_domain_request_additional_details.html
+++ b/src/registrar/templates/portfolio_domain_request_additional_details.html
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     </fieldset>
 
     <div class="margin-top-3" id="anything-else">
-        <p><em>This question is optional.</em></p>
+        <p><em>Provide details below. <abbr class="usa-hint usa-hint--required" title="required">*</abbr></em></p>
         {% with attr_maxlength=2000 add_label_class="usa-sr-only" %}
             {% input_with_errors forms.0.anything_else %}
         {% endwith %}