Pentagon to cut $5.1bln in climate, DEI 'wasteful' spending
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US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says DOGE would be granted "broad access" to identify and eliminate programs inherited from the previous administration.
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US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a joint press conference with Panama's Security Minister Frank Abrego (out of frame) after the signing of a bilateral agreement in Panama City, on April 9, 2025 (AFP)
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Thursday that the Pentagon will eliminate $5.1 billion in what he described as “wasteful” spending, including funding for climate initiatives and diversity programs.
The cuts are part of a broader government-wide effort spearheaded by President Donald Trump, who has pledged to significantly reduce federal spending. As part of that initiative, Trump appointed billionaire Elon Musk to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Hegseth stated that DOGE would be granted "broad access" to identify and eliminate programs inherited from the previous administration. Last month, he ordered the cancellation of $580 million in expenditures, which included grants related to climate change, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), among other areas.
In a video message released Thursday, Hegseth confirmed the Department of Defense was terminating "eleven contracts for DEI, climate, Covid-19 response, and related non-essential initiatives."
"We're signing a memo right now directing the termination of $5.1 billion in DOD contracts, not million," he emphasized.
The canceled contracts also encompass consulting services provided to the Defense Health Agency, as well as a cloud IT services contract.
Additionally, the Pentagon is suspending more than $500 million in funding to Northwestern University and Cornell University—institutions Hegseth accused of tolerating "anti-Semitism" and promoting "divisive DEI programs."
The Department of Defense's proposed budget for 2025 stands at approximately $850 billion.
According to The Washington Post, a February memo from Hegseth instructed the development of plans to cut the DoD budget by 8% annually over the next five years.
If enacted in full, the reductions would shrink the department’s budget by tens of billions annually, reaching an estimated $560 billion by the end of the period.
"We will move away from woke, Biden-era, non-lethal programs, and instead spend that money on President Trump's America First, peace through strength, priorities," Hegseth stressed earlier this year.
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