Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Orders 8% Pentagon Budget Cut in ‘Striking’ Overhaul Plan

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Amanda Austin
February 21, 2025
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Pete Hegseth testifies during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill on 14 January, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo: AFP)

Pete Hegseth, the nation’s new Defense Secretary, has announced plans to cut the defense budget by 8 percent over the next five years and has directed senior Pentagon leaders and military officials to develop strategies for implementing the reductions.

According to The Washington Post, which reported on the plan Wednesday, the proposal was outlined in a memo and described by officials as a “striking proposal.”

The proposed budget cuts were to be drafted by Monday, according to the report. Certain key defense operations—including border security, nuclear weapons modernization, missile defense, attack drones, submarine acquisitions, and other munitions—are exempt from the reductions.

The Post characterized the memo, in combination with planned mass firings at the department as part of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency initiative, as a “striking assault” on the federal government’s largest department. Hegseth explained in the memo that the proposed cuts align with President Donald Trump’s “peace through strength” policies.

Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Defense, is facing new challenges standing in the way of his appointment (Getty Images)

“The time for preparation is over — we must act urgently to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild our military, and reestablish deterrence,” Hegseth wrote. “Our budget will resource the fighting force we need, cease unnecessary defense spending, reject excessive bureaucracy, and drive actionable reform including progress on the audit.”

The budget reduction plan is expected to generate significant debate within both the military and Congress, as leaders weigh the impact of the cuts against the administration’s broader defense objectives.