Trump administration orders Pentagon to plan sweeping budget cuts: Report

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Trump administration has directed the Pentagon to prepare for significant defense budget reductions, requiring an 8% cut annually over the next five years, according to a report Wednesday.

Citing a leaked memo, The Washington Post reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has instructed military leaders to submit their plans by Feb. 24.

The Pentagon’s 2025 budget stands at approximately $850 billion, with many lawmakers emphasizing the need for robust military funding to counter threats from China and Russia.

The proposed cuts, however, would exempt key priorities, including operations at the southern US border, modernization of nuclear weapons and missile defense, and acquisition of one-way attack drones and other munitions.

The memo mandates continued funding for "support agencies" at key regional headquarters, such as the Indo-Pacific Command, Northern Command, and Space Command, the report said.

Absent from the list are the European Command, which has played a key role in implementing US strategy in the Ukraine war, Central Command, responsible for military operations in the Middle East, and Africa Command, which oversees thousands of US troops stationed across the continent, it added.

“President (Donald) Trump’s charge to DoD (Department of Defense) is clear: achieve Peace through Strength,” Hegseth reportedly wrote in the memo, dated Tuesday.

“The time for preparation is over — we must act urgently to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild our military, and reestablish deterrence. 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 Pentagon did not immediately comment on the report.