Congress Must Not Reward Pentagon Abuses with Extra Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon should not receive an extra penny from the American people, said more than 20 national groups in a letter sent today to the Democratic leadership of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. The letter, led by Public Citizen, said Hegseth should not receive funding above the $892 billion already agreed upon by the House of Representatives.
“This is not a normal moment in American history, nor a normal moment for Pentagon spending decisions. We urge you to account for these abnormalities in negotiations over Pentagon funding levels,” the letter reads.
The current Pentagon budget is on track to surpass $1 trillion annually, despite the agency failing every audit it has ever undergone. This spending surge stands in sharp contrast to the drastic cuts in health care and food assistance imposed by the reconciliation package and the Republican shutdown. What’s more, additional funding would effectively endorse the Trump White House’s dangerous and unconstitutional military deployments at home and abroad.
“Pete Hegseth is a key enabler of Trump’s authoritarianism, as Pentagon resources are being used in reckless and illegal actions domestically and internationally,” said Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen. “Under his leadership, the Pentagon is further entrenching military policing in Americans’ daily lives via a National Guard ‘rapid response force’ and actively attacking international vessels without congressional authorization. Lavishing Hegseth’s Pentagon with $32 billion in extra spending will only fuel Trump’s authoritarian agenda. It is particularly galling to consider in the wake of dire cuts to the social safety net imposed by the tax and budget reconciliation bill and Trump administration unilateral action.”
MoveOn, People’s Action, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Grassroots Global Justice Alliance joined the letter as signatories. The groups urged the committees to reject an additional $32 billion in proposed military spending.