US to weigh potential cuts in defence programs focused on weapons of mass destruction

The US Department of Defence is considering significant cuts to its personnel working on nonproliferation efforts concerning weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.

According to documents reviewed by Wired, the Pentagon is exploring reducing the staff of its relevant agencies by 25-100% and possibly halting certain operations as part of a broader push by President Donald Trump’s administration to cut government spending, Caliber.Az reports.

The memo issued by the Pentagon instructs its units, which work on international security cooperation, to assess the potential for staff reductions in light of new priorities. These include the militaristic containment of China, enhancing border security, and redistributing collective defence costs, encouraging greater spending by allied nations. The Pentagon has stated that expenditures not aligned with these priorities are more likely to face cuts.

One of the most affected agencies could be the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), which has issued a stark warning about the potential consequences of such budget cuts. DTRA’s internal documents highlight that slashing funding and personnel could severely impact efforts to combat terrorism, and organized crime in South America, and increase the risk of a "rogue nation" acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

The agency presented multiple staff reduction scenarios, including cuts of 20%, 40%, and 60%. A 20% reduction would curtail demining operations in former conflict zones, hamper biosecurity, and slow down infection control efforts. A 40% cut would diminish the US fight against extremist groups in Africa and the Middle East, halt demining operations entirely, and cripple efforts to prevent the development of WMDs. A drastic 60% staff cut would bring all US. efforts to curb WMD proliferation to a complete standstill.

Wired's sources indicate that a major reduction in DTRA staff is increasingly likely. However, with the Pentagon's defence budget totalling $850 billion, the projected savings from these cuts would only amount to $5-15 billion. A final decision on the matter is expected to be made in mid-April this year.

By Tamilla Hasanova