Pentagon chief Hegseth proposes deep defence cuts, sparks debate
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has ordered the preparation of plans to cut the defence budget by 8% annually over five years, reports "The Washington Post."
The newspaper notes that the cuts will affect, among others, troops stationed in Europe. The document includes a list of 17 categories exempted from the cuts, including nuclear weapons modernization.
Pentagon priorities
Hegseth's memorandum suggests a focus on the Indo-Pacific, Northern, and Space Commands, overlooking the European and Central ones. "The time for preparation is over – we must act urgently to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild our military, and re-establish deterrence. Our budget will resource the fighting force we need, cease unnecessary defence spending, reject excessive bureaucracy, and drive actionable reform including progress on the audit," Hegseth wrote.
The plan will face opposition in Congress, where both parties advocate increasing defence spending. Republicans have prepared two budget resolutions. The first proposes increasing defence and border protection spending by $345 (CAD 490) billion, while the second proposes a $100 (CAD 140) billion increase in the defence budget. The current Pentagon budget is $850 billion (CAD 1.2 trillion), but when combined with other security-related expenses, total defence spending rises to nearly $900 billion (CAD 1.28 trillion).
The proposed cuts contradict Republican resolutions that call for increased defence spending. The current Pentagon budget is $850 billion (CAD 1.2 trillion), and with other security-related expenses, it reaches nearly $900 billion (CAD 1.28 trillion). Hegseth, during a visit to Europe, called for increasing allies' defence spending to 5% of GDP.
Donald Trump mentioned the desire to convene a conference with the participation of the USA, China, and Russia to agree on reducing defence budgets by up to half. "The Washington Post" emphasizes that the decision on defence spending belongs to the president.
