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WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 — The Trump administration is moving to cut $50 billion from the Pentagon budget, reallocating funds to high-priority areas such as border security, according to media reports.
A list of generals and admirals slated for dismissal has been circulated among Republican lawmakers. Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses has instructed officials to identify cuts and shift resources to initiatives aligned with Trump’s priorities, Military Times reported.
NBC News said the Indo-Pacific region’s budget remains untouched. While earlier reports suggested an 8% reduction in overall military spending, the latest figures indicate the $849.8 billion defense budget will remain intact, with funds being redistributed rather than slashed.
NBC also reported that the targeted firings include officers linked to former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, those involved in diversity and inclusion programs, and others deemed politically misaligned with Trump’s agenda. It remains unclear whether Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman CQ Brown is on the list.
Trump has already removed Coast Guard chief Admiral Linda Fagan, the highest-ranking woman in U.S. military history.
As part of a broader effort to streamline government operations, numerous Defense Department employees have received termination notices.
Besides Indo-Pacific operations, budget priorities include missile defense, autonomous weapons, and border security. Salesses emphasized Trump’s focus on bolstering missile defense, strengthening border protections, and eliminating what he called “radical and wasteful” diversity initiatives.
