The Pentagon in the United States announced on Wednesday, February 19th, that it has instructed military leaders to draft potential cuts of around $50 billion from the budget for the fiscal year 2026 (starting from October 1st) and redistribute the savings to defense areas prioritized by the Trump administration’s strategic priorities.
This reduction plan is intended to lay the foundation for strategic adjustments advocated by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, including strengthening military investments in the Asia-Pacific region, prioritizing security along the U.S.-Mexico border, and implementing other reforms.
Deputy Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses issued a statement on Wednesday evening outlining future cuts focusing on “excessive bureaucracy,” climate change-related programs, and “woke programs,” which encompass diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The statement emphasized that defense policy will revolve entirely around President Trump’s “America First” strategy, which involves bolstering security along the U.S.-Mexico border, establishing an “Iron Dome for America,” and ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and biased policies.
To implement these priorities, Hegseth has directed a review of low-impact, low-priority projects left behind by the Biden administration for the fiscal year 2026, reallocating funds to key areas aligning with Trump’s defense strategy.
Salesses noted that the targeted cuts amount to approximately 8% of the budget set by the previous Biden administration for the fiscal year 2026, totaling $50 billion, which will be redirected to projects in line with Trump’s policies.
This plan reflects the Pentagon’s desire to adjust resource allocation, focusing on U.S. security strategies in the Asia-Pacific and border security to address global emerging threats and safeguard national interests.
It remains unclear how this reduction plan will integrate with government downsizing and cutbacks led by Elon Musk. Musk’s team has moved into the Pentagon and commenced reviewing the efficiency and spending of the Defense Department.
Some civilian military personnel have received notices of potential layoffs due to being hired for less than a year, prompting discontent among some Democratic lawmakers and government employee unions, who believe Musk lacks the expertise to overhaul the Defense Department, potentially endangering classified projects.
Musk himself has openly criticized certain military programs, particularly the F-35 fighter jet project. He posted on his X platform, stating, “Some U.S. weapons systems are great, but too expensive. Let’s stop the F-35, the worst procurement in military history.”
The Pentagon currently operates with an annual budget close to $1 trillion. In December of last year, then-President Biden signed a bill approving an increase of $895 billion in defense spending for the fiscal year ending on September 30th.
This reduction plan may face strong opposition in Congress, especially as lawmakers tend to protect defense industries in their constituencies, similar to how the F-35 has suppliers in all 50 states.
Facing pressure to reduce the budget, the Pentagon’s challenge moving forward will be to maintain military operational capabilities while ensuring strategic priorities are upheld.
(This article referenced reports from Reuters and the Associated Press)