{"id":48466,"date":"2025-02-19T21:13:59","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T21:13:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2025\/02\/19\/white-house-eyes-8-cut-to-defense-budget-to-boost-trump-priorities\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T16:41:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T16:41:16","slug":"white-house-eyes-8-cut-to-defense-budget-to-boost-trump-priorities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/pentagon\/2025\/02\/19\/white-house-eyes-8-cut-to-defense-budget-to-boost-trump-priorities\/","title":{"rendered":"White House eyes 8% cut to defense budget to boost Trump priorities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor\u2019s note: This story has been updated to include a response from Pentagon leadership.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth<\/a> ordered senior military officials to develop a budget plan that would slash defense spending by 8%, a dramatic cut which could reshape military end-strength and readiness for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a memo first obtained by the Washington Post<\/a>, Hegseth ordered the proposed cuts to be compiled by Feb. 24. Seventeen categories would be exempt from the budget reductions, including military operations at the southern U.S. border, nuclear weapons and missile defense programs, and acquisition of certain drones and munitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea of steep defense cuts, originally reported by Bloomberg last week<\/a>, is certain to draw opposition from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, where Republicans in recent weeks had been discussing major increases in defense spending in upcoming years \u2013 not significant cuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Hegseth\u2019s budget plans appear to follow broader instructions from President Donald Trump to reduce government spending, including the dismissal of thousands of federal workers in the last few weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\t