Hegseth Orders Pentagon to Identify $50 Billion in Budget Cuts

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed military officials to identify $50 billion in potential cuts from the upcoming fiscal year 2026 budget so that the savings can be redirected to President Donald Trump’s national defense priorities, the Pentagon announced on Feb. 19. The Department of Defense plans to review the budget drawn up by the previous administration and develop a list of potential savings that could be “realigned from low-impact and low-priority Biden-legacy programs,” according to a statement from Robert Salesses, who is performing the duties of the deputy defense secretary. Salesses said “excessive bureaucracy” and programs targeting climate change or “other woke programs” such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives would be targeted....