Hegseth directs Pentagon to find $50 billion in cuts this year

The Pentagon is facing a $50 billion budget shakeup as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth orders cuts to fund President Trump’s priorities. The directive targets bureaucracy, climate initiatives, and diversity programs, aiming instead at border security and a proposed “Iron Dome for America.” But trimming this much—about 8% of the budget—raises questions. Similar cuts a decade ago hit training and operations, leading to readiness issues. What gets cut this time, and at what cost? The answers will shape the military’s future.