Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Department of Defense to develop plans to cut 8% from their budget each year for the next five years in alignment with President Donald Trump’s priorities, which include achieving peace through strength. The goal is to identify offsets from the Biden administration’s fiscal year 2026 budget that could be realigned from low-impact and low-priority programs left by the previous administration. This move is part of an effort to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild the military, and reestablish deterrence. The savings from these cuts could be used to fund new priorities, such as the “Iron Dome for America,” a missile defense system.
Hegseth has set a deadline for the proposed cuts to be submitted by Monday, according to a memo obtained by The Washington Post. This urgency is a reflection of the need to act quickly to realign the defense agency towards Trump’s new priorities and to cease unnecessary defense spending, reject excessive bureaucracy, and drive actionable reform, including progress on the audit. The money saved from the cuts will be used to fund programs aligned with President Trump’s priorities, totaling around $50 billion, targeted at 8% of the Biden administration’s budget for fiscal year 2026.
Salesses, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, highlighted the importance of making the best use of taxpayers’ dollars to deliver on President Trump’s defense priorities efficiently and effectively. The aim is to refocus the Department on its core mission of deterring and winning wars. The cuts will allow the Defense Department to eliminate unnecessary spending that set the military back under the Biden administration, such as through climate change and other “woke” programs. This move is part of a broader effort to revive the warrior ethos and ensure the military is properly resourced for its mission.
In addition to the budget cuts, the Trump administration has also ordered the firing of thousands of probationary Department of Defense employees, overseen by the Department of Government Efficiency. This move is aimed at streamlining the Defense Department’s operations and ensuring that only essential personnel are retained. These efforts are part of a larger push to make the Department of Defense more efficient, effective, and aligned with President Trump’s priorities, focusing on peace through strength and rebuilding the military to be prepared for any threats that may arise.
The cuts proposed by Hegseth are expected to have a significant impact on the Defense Department’s operations, as they aim to realign funding towards Trump’s priorities and away from low-impact and low-priority programs from the previous administration. The focus is to ensure that the military is properly equipped, funded, and prepared for any challenges that may arise, including the development of new technologies and programs to enhance the country’s defense capabilities. This move is part of a broader effort to ensure that the Department of Defense is operating efficiently and effectively in line with the President’s defense priorities.
Overall, the requested cuts from the Department of Defense are part of a broader effort to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used effectively and efficiently to support the country’s defense priorities. By realigning funding towards President Trump’s new priorities, such as the “Iron Dome for America” missile defense system, the Defense Department aims to strengthen the military and reestablish deterrence. These efforts, alongside other initiatives such as streamlining operations and reducing unnecessary spending, are aimed at reviving the warrior ethos and ensuring that the Department is prepared for any challenges that may arise in the future.
