Hegseth’s proposed Pentagon cuts, firing of generals: What to know

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed senior Pentagon officials and military leaders to forge plans that would result in an 8 percent cut to the defense budget for each year over the next five years.

The proposed cuts were outlined in a memo issued Tuesday, which ordered a reduction in the Middle East and Europe military commands. On the flip side, it would exempt 17 entities, including a program to modernize nuclear weapons, Virginia-class submarines, attack drones, surface ships, missile defense and cybersecurity, multiple outlets reported Wednesday. 

The acting Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses said Wednesday that reduction, which is projected to slash $50 billion off of the defense budget, would help pay for President Trump’s administration’s defense priorities, including border security and the “Iron Dome for America” missile defense system. 

The Department of Defense (DOD) is looking to end “unnecessary spending that set our military back” like diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and climate change programs, according to Salesses. 

“The Department will develop a list of potential offsets that could be used to fund these priorities, as well as to refocus the Department on its core mission of deterring and winning wars,” Salesses said. 

Hegseth’s memo said the deadline for formulating cuts is Monday. 

“The Department of Defense is conducting this review to ensure we are making the best use of the taxpayers’ dollars in a way that delivers on the President Trump’s defense priorities efficiently and effectively,” Salesses wrote.

The Pentagon’s current budget is around $850 billion. Intended cuts might be a hard thing to get Congress to agree on. Lawmakers in both parties and in both chambers are supportive of the current budget or want to see it increased, arguing it helps combat threats posed by China and Russia. 

“The time for preparation is over — we must act urgently to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild our military, and reestablish deterrence,” Hegseth said in the memo, according to The Washington Post. “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 memo came just a day after Trump sided with the House’s version of a budget proposal, which features a $100 billion hike in defense spending. During his trip to Germany earlier this month, Hegseth said he is supportive of increasing the defense budget. 

“I think the U.S. needs to spend more than the Biden administration was willing to, who historically underinvested in the capabilities of our military,” Hegseth said on Feb. 12. 

Earlier this week, the Trump administration ordered several defense agencies to come up with a list of probationary employees, and some could be fired as early as the end of this week, multiple outlets reported Tuesday. 

The directive came as Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffers visited the Pentagon on Tuesday and were receiving the lists of those probationary workers, personnel who are typically one to two years into their roles. 

The Pentagon is the largest federal agency, with more than 950,000 civilian employees. It also oversees about 1.3 million active-duty service members and almost 800,000 reserves and National Guard members. 

DOGE has shown intention of placing full-time Pentagon workers into contract posts so that they would be easier to terminate, The New York Times reported Wednesday, citing a senior military official. 

Hegseth is considering firing a number of military generals and flag officers, NBC News reported Wednesday, citing two Defense officials and three congressional officials.

The terminations could come as early as this week. The list of those who could be fired was shared with House and Senate GOP members. The majority of those on the list are linked to former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. 

One of the people on the list is the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. CQ Brown, CNN reported Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter. 

Brown greeted Hegseth on his first day as the Defense secretary. The former Fox News host said he is “standing with him right now,” adding that he looks “forward to working with him.”

Months earlier, Hegseth called for Brown and other generals involved with DEI programs at the Pentagon to be terminated. 

“First of all, you’ve got to fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs,” Hegseth said during his November appearance on the “Shawn Ryan Show” podcast. “But any general that was involved — general, admiral, whatever — that was involved in any of the DEI woke s‑‑‑ has got to go. Either you’re in for warfighting, and that’s it. That’s the only litmus test we care about.” 

Another person who could be on the chopping block is Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa M. Franchetti, according to CNN. Franchetti is the first woman to be on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. On Tuesday, she visited bases in Rhode Island. 

There are two contenders who would be possible replacements for Brown: U.S. Central Command leader Gen. Michael Kurilla and Gen. Samuel Paparo, who heads the Indo-Pacific command, CNN reported.