US Defence Secretary vows to strengthen military by cutting waste, refocusing budget

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has outlined his plans to strengthen the US military by eliminating financial waste within the Department of Defence (DOD) and reallocating resources to key priorities.

Speaking from the Pentagon, Hegseth stressed the importance of transparency, stating, “We want the American people—the taxpayers—to understand why we’re making these decisions,” Caliber.Az reports via U.S. Department of Defence.

He reaffirmed his commitment to “rebuilding the military, restoring the warrior ethos, and re-establishing deterrence.”

Hegseth dismissed speculation surrounding DOD finances, urging the public to take reports “with a gigantic grain of salt.” He insisted his sole focus is on supporting service personnel, declaring, “We want the biggest, most formidable military on the planet.”

The Defence Secretary highlighted three key areas for financial reform. Firstly, tackling excess spending will involve the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which will root out fraud and unnecessary expenditure. “They’ll be working to identify redundancies and remove outdated priorities,” he said.

Secondly, Hegseth announced an immediate reallocation of 8%—roughly $50 billion—from non-lethal programmes to bolster national defence under President Donald Trump’s “America First” strategy. “This isn’t a cut—it’s about refocusing and reinvesting,” he explained, noting that funds for nuclear modernization, missile defence, cybersecurity, and military readiness would remain untouched.

Finally, Hegseth addressed concerns over potential job cuts within the DOD’s probationary workforce, denying any blanket dismissals. “We’re evaluating staff carefully and smartly,” he said, adding that reductions would target underperformers first. He also confirmed a hiring freeze to ensure future recruitment prioritizes “the hardest-charging” individuals aligned with the department’s core mission.

Hegseth concluded by reiterating his commitment to direct communication with the public. “Our warfighters and taxpayers deserve nothing less,” he said. “We’ll continue keeping you informed as we work to make the US military the most lethal and capable force on the planet.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev