Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is slashing wasteful Pentagon spending with a bold strike at the bloated military budget. The Trump appointee just announced the cancellation of over $580 million in contracts deemed unnecessary or misaligned with the administration’s priorities, delivering on promises to drain the swamp.
At a glance:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has canceled over $580 million in wasteful Pentagon contracts
- The cuts include a $280 million HR system that was years behind schedule
- Over $360 million in DEI and climate change research grants were terminated
- The initiative partners with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
- Total taxpayer savings now reach $800 million with more cuts expected
Hegseth Takes Aim at Pentagon Waste
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dealt a major blow to wasteful government spending by cutting more than $580 million in Pentagon contracts and grants. The decisive action comes as part of the Trump administration’s partnership with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aimed at eliminating bloat from the federal budget.
The fact tat they just found $580 million in waste within a matter of weeks should be concerning to everybody. Think how long this has been going on!
In a public announcement, Hegseth emphasized his commitment to fiscal responsibility and proper use of taxpayer funds.
“Today, I’m signing a memo directing the termination of over $580 million in DOD contracts, in grants that do not match the priorities of this president or this department,” Hegseth said.
The largest single cut targeted the Defense Civilian Human Resources Management System (DCHRMS), a software project that had spiraled $280 million over budget. This catastrophic management failure was also seven to eight years behind schedule, displaying the kind of government inefficiency the Trump administration has vowed to eliminate.
DEI Programs and Climate Research on the Chopping Block
Hegseth’s efficiency drive didn’t stop at software projects, as he also slashed more than $360 million in grants for research in areas like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), climate change, and social sciences. These programs had little connection to the military’s core mission of national defense and combat readiness.
The Secretary made it clear that his department needs to focus on its primary purpose. “I need lethal machine learning models, not ‘equitable’ machine learning models,” Hegseth stated firmly, drawing a sharp distinction between the current administration’s priorities and those of the previous one.
Additionally, $30 million in contracts with consulting giants Gartner and McKinsey were terminated after being deemed non-essential to the department’s mission. The cuts represent a return to core defense priorities after years of mission creep under Democrat leadership.
Hegseth emphasized the need for greater accountability to American taxpayers in his announcement. “They are not a good use of taxpayer dollars — ultimately that’s who funds us and we owe you transparency and make sure we’re using it well,” he said.
Growing Success with DOGE Partnership
The Pentagon cuts are part of a broader initiative that has now saved American taxpayers approximately $800 million in just a few weeks. This success stems from the partnership between the Department of Defense and Musk’s DOGE team, which has been tasked with finding inefficiencies throughout the federal government.
The DOGE initiative claims to have saved taxpayers tens of billions of dollars across various government departments. To date, 239 contracts with a combined value of $1.7 billion have been terminated as part of the efficiency drive.
Republican Representative Nancy Mace has praised Hegseth’s transparency efforts as the Secretary works to ensure the department can pass an audit. The Pentagon has failed its audit for seven consecutive years, despite having the largest federal budget at $825 billion last fiscal year.
Hegseth has also promised more cuts are coming as the department continues to identify wasteful spending.
