Cuts to staff, budget will boost military strength, Hegseth says

Protection Secretary Pete Hesgeth on Thursday defended looming workers cuts and funds reforms as essential to refocus the army on its core missions, promising the efforts will produce “the largest, most bad-ass army on the planet.”

In a video message launched Thursday night, Hegseth additionally lashed out at critics and the media for misrepresenting the pending strikes as cuts to the army. He stated President Donald Trump is dedicated to growing sources for the armed forces, following by on marketing campaign guarantees to spice up protection spending.

“Starting immediately, we’re pulling round 8%, or $50 billion, from [former President Joe Biden’s] funds plans,” he stated. “We are going to transfer away from woke, non-lethal packages and as an alternative spend that cash on President [Donald] Trump’s priorities for our nationwide funds.

“We’re asking the providers to plan. It’s not a reduce. It’s refocusing and reinvesting current funds into constructing a power that protects you, the American individuals.”

On Wednesday, appearing Deputy Protection Secretary Robert Salesses launched an announcement acknowledging that army company leaders had been ordered to chop 8% from their preliminary fiscal 2026 Protection Division funds plans. That funds define had been anticipated to prime $850 billion.

The information drew vital concern from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, who had been additionally knowledgeable that the strikes might embody an annual 8% reduce for the subsequent 5 years.

However Hegseth in his video stated that any financial savings could be reinvested into different areas of the protection funds. He additionally stated quite a few safety priorities — corresponding to southwest border actions, nuclear modernization efforts, Virginia-class submarine procurement, cybersecurity efforts and core readiness coaching — wouldn’t face any funds reductions.

“That is nice information for taxpayers and for our nationwide safety,” he stated.

Hegseth did acknowledge that the division is working intently with officers from the controversial Division of Authorities Effectivity, or DOGE, which has spearheaded efforts to dramatically slash staffing at numerous federal companies.

The protection secretary indicated that civilian employee workers cuts will come to his division quickly, however stated he believes the work will make army operations extra environment friendly with out compromising readiness.

“Backside line, it’s merely not within the public curiosity to retain people whose contributions should not mission important, and to revive accountability inside the federal workforce,” he stated. “Taxpayers should have us take a extremely thorough have a look at our workforce prime to backside, and to see the place we are able to discover and eradicate redundancy.”

Hegseth stated officers would begin with “poor performers amongst our probationary workers,” though dismissal efforts at different federal companies have largely targeted on job seniority and never employee efficiency.

He additionally promised that army leaders will “rent and reward hard-working workers who’re central to the core combating mission.”

Hegseth didn’t take any direct questions from reporters after the video’s launch. He additionally didn’t tackle rumors of plans to fireside prime army officers considered by Trump administration officers as too intently related to the final president.