The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, is set to tackle the Pentagon’s massive budget. Defense officials report that DOGE members will arrive at the Defense Department as early as Friday, with the Pentagon already receiving a list of assigned DOGE officials. Anticipating DOGE’s scrutiny, some military branches are proactively proposing cuts.
The Army has identified outdated drones and surplus vehicles for elimination, potentially saving billions. Col. Dave Butler, an Army spokesman, emphasized, “We’re taking a proactive approach to making our spending more efficient. There are several systems that we know won’t survive on the modern battlefield.”
Meanwhile, according to sources familiar with the plans, the Navy is also considering cuts to frigates and littoral combat ships. The Air Force, however, declined to comment, though Musk has previously criticized the F-35 program, calling it a “flop” and its builders “idiots,” with lifetime costs projected to exceed $2 trillion.
The Defense Department’s budget, exceeding $800 billion and employing three million troops and civilians, presents DOGE’s most significant challenge yet. Historically, military branches proposed cuts to redirect funding to newer programs, but lawmakers—protecting local spending—have consistently blocked these efforts, leading to a growing Pentagon budget since 9/11. Dan Grazier of the Stimson Center has noted, “It was in the permissive post-9/11 environment that we saw a whole slew of ill-conceived weapons programs. Now we are seeing the results—failed program after failed program.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is positive about DOGE scrutinizing military spending, stating, “We welcome DOGE to the Pentagon.” However, opposition to cuts from both parties is expected. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), a DOGE supporter, predicted, “We have big [defense] spenders in both parties. I’m expecting all kinds of squealing as you’re trying to come back to some kind of prepandemic level spending.”
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