The Pentagon is preparing for significant changes as it faces a major reduction in its budget.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Department of Defense (DoD) to create a detailed plan by next Monday to trim 8% from its budget every year over the next five years—totaling a massive $50 billion in cuts.
This move is part of a broader effort to streamline and refocus government spending.
Elon Musk’s Influence on Government Spending
The budget cuts are modeled after the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by tech billionaire Elon Musk.
Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been pushing for deeper cuts across federal agencies.
His administration at DOGE has already overseen the dismantling of USAID and is threatening similar actions against FEMA, one of the nation’s primary disaster relief agencies.
Musk has also targeted spending on programs he believes do not align with former President Donald Trump’s key priorities, like immigration enforcement and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Impact on the Pentagon and Its Programs
A memo recently issued by the Pentagon details how these budget cuts will be implemented, especially under Trump’s executive orders.
This includes scaling back military programs introduced under President Joe Biden’s administration that focused on climate change and energy policies.
DEI practices and other “woke” programs within the military will also face cuts.
However, some of the cuts will be reallocated to fund Trump’s missile defense initiative.
The funds saved from reducing other programs could go toward creating an “Iron Dome for America”—a larger-scale missile defense system inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome.
This move is aligned with Trump’s vision of bolstering U.S. defense capabilities.
Reviving the Warrior Ethos and Focusing on Core Missions
Secretary Hegseth has emphasized the urgency of these changes, stressing the need to restore the “warrior ethos” within the military.
In a memo to Pentagon officials, he stated, “The time for preparation is over.
We must act urgently to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild our military, and reestablish deterrence.”
Hegseth added that the cuts will focus on reducing unnecessary defense spending, eliminating excessive bureaucracy, and pushing forward with reforms.
The ultimate goal is to allocate resources effectively, focusing on strengthening the military’s core mission of deterrence and preparing for war.
The Pentagon’s Audit Process and Reallocation of Funds
As part of the overall plan, an audit of Pentagon spending will be conducted to ensure taxpayer dollars are being used wisely.
Pentagon spokesperson Robert Salesses explained that the department will create a list of potential offsets to help fund the prioritized programs.
These offsets will target 8% of the Biden administration’s FY26 budget, about $50 billion, which will then be redirected to areas aligned with Trump’s defense priorities.
Trump’s Broader Push for Government Cuts
This latest push to overhaul Pentagon spending comes at a time when Trump has vowed to target other government agencies as well.
The former president has promised cuts at various agencies, including canceling billions in contracts at the Department of Education and the National Institutes of Health.
These aggressive cuts are part of Trump’s ongoing effort to reduce government size and spending while realigning federal priorities.