Pentagon to Cut Defense Budget by 8 Percent Over Next Five Years
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has mandated the Department of Defense to devise plans to cut 8% from its budget annually over the next five years. This initiative aims to align with President Donald Trump’s vision of achieving peace through strength.
Hegseth's request includes identifying offsets from the Biden administration’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, focusing on low-impact programs as stated by Pentagon spokesman Robert Salesses.
The proposed budget cuts are due Monday, according to a memo issued by Hegseth. In the memo, he emphasized the urgency of reviving military capabilities by stating, "The time for preparation is over. We must act urgently to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild our military, and reestablish deterrence."
Salesses explained that the reassigned funds could refocus the defense agency towards Trump's priorities, including the development of a new missile defense system dubbed "Iron Dome for America."
According to Salesses, the goal is to ensure optimal use of taxpayers' dollars to effectively deliver on Trump's defense strategies. The identified budget cuts will target about $50 billion, specifically aimed at enhancing military effectiveness while cutting unnecessary expenditures associated with "woke" programs from the prior administration.
The request for these budget reductions coincides with an order from the Trump administration to terminate thousands of probationary Department of Defense employees, overseen by the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE.
