By U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth prepares to welcome Australian Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at the Pentagon in Washington, U.S., Feb. 7, 2025.
Nathan Howard | Reuters
The Pentagon said on Wednesday it was directing the military to draw up a list of potential cuts totaling about $50 billion from the upcoming budget for fiscal year 2026 to be redirected into President Donald Trump’s priorities for national defense.
“The Department will develop a list of potential offsets that could be used to fund these priorities, as well as to refocus the Department on its core mission of deterring and winning wars,” according to a statement from Robert Salesses, who is performing the duties of the deputy defense secretary.
“The offsets are targeted at 8% of the Biden Administration’s FY26 budget, totaling around $50 billion, which will then be spent on programs aligned with President Trump’s priorities.”
