US Defense Department to Restructure Spending, Shift Funds from Biden Priorities to Trump Priorities
Washington, D.C. – The US Defense Department is planning a major restructuring of its spending, including a significant shift in funds from programs initiated under former President Joe Biden to those prioritized by President Donald Trump, according to a Pentagon announcement and a report by The Washington Post.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the department to reallocate approximately $50 billion from existing programs in the fiscal year 2026 budget. This move will redirect funds from initiatives such as climate protection measures and administrative expenses to Trump-era security priorities.
The Pentagon has emphasized that the changes constitute reallocations, not cuts. However, The Washington Post obtained a memo from Hegseth outlining plans for 8% annual reductions in the defense budget over the next five years. This would amount to significant savings of $1.48 trillion during that period.
The Post noted that the memo includes a list of areas exempt from the potential cuts. Notably, the list does not include military commands responsible for operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, indicating that the restructuring could have implications for ongoing conflicts like the war in Ukraine.
Other areas exempted from potential cuts include military operations along the US southern border, missile defense, and nuclear weapons modernization. The Defense Department has set a deadline of February 24 for the development of specific savings proposals.
The current defense budget, authorized by Congress, stands at $895 billion, with approximately $850 billion under the control of the Defense Department. President Trump has recently suggested that tech billionaire Elon Musk be brought in to examine spending within the department.
The restructuring could potentially lead to significant changes in the Pentagon’s priorities, with a focus on bolstering security against perceived threats and reducing bureaucracy. It remains to be seen how these changes will impact the department’s operations and effectiveness in the years to come.
