Thread by @SydneyFreedberg

THE CUT THAT NEVER WAS: So the 8% annual cut that @SecDef Pete Hegseth was reportedly about to order at the Pentagon… turns out not to be a cut to defense at all. Instead, as my editor @AaronMehta wrote last night, the plan is to -reallocate- 8% of spending -within- …/1

…the DoD budget from “legacy” programs to Trump priorities. You can read Aaron’s full story below, co-written with my colleague @ashroque13.

I know this news is disappointing to those on both the left and right who think the US spends too much …/2

breakingdefense.com/2025/02/pentag…

@ashroque13 on the military (or too much, full stop), and I know every bureaucrat and politician will try to reframe their pet program as actually in line with one of the 17 stated Trump priorities.

But as a (moderate) hawk who’s covered defense since 1998, I’d say this looks like … /3

@ashroque13 ...a reasonable and feasible plan: big enough to move the needle but deliberate enough not to throw too many babies out with the bathwater. (Compare what @DOGE is doing). So, while a lifelong Dem, I'm compelled to give kudos to Hegseth & his team... again:

https://x.com/SydneyFreedberg/status/1889136826146840654

PS: @Taxpayers for Common Sense just cited our story in a denunciation of Trump for not cutting DoD, so.... yay?

(As a longtime advocate of a well-funded defense, I'm tempted to say "get wrecked TCS!" but they actually do great oversight... just, uh, stay away from MY programs)