DOGE Republicans Skeptical of Trump’s Idea to Halve Defense Budget in Deal With China, Russia

WASHINGTON—In a Feb. 25 press conference, Republicans with the House DOGE Caucus spoke about their alignment with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a time-limited organization created via executive order to address waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending, in line with President Donald Trump’s agenda. But some sounded skeptical of one massive possible spending cut that Trump has also floated—namely, working to halve the defense budget if Russia and China agree to the same. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) told The Epoch Times that Trump “can only control America.” “Putin’s a thug,” Norman said of Russian President Vladimir Putin....