Pete Hegseth says Pentagon found $6 billion in budget cuts, faces questions on LA troop deployment

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress on Tuesday that a collaboration between the Pentagon and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had uncovered $6 billion in cuts within the U.S. defence budget, which stands near $1 trillion.

In a tense hearing before the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, Hegseth said, “Every cent will provide capabilities to deter our adversaries, and if necessary, prevail on the battlefield.”

The cuts, he explained, are part of a broader overhaul that reflects President Donald Trump’s directive to “eliminate nonlethal priorities” inherited from the Biden administration. According to Hegseth’s prepared remarks, $30 billion is being redirected toward military readiness and offensive capability.

Musk's DOGE and Trump budget push military reprioritisation

The Department of Government Efficiency, helmed by Musk, is described as a fast-moving, civilian-led initiative aimed at identifying redundancies and inefficiencies within government operations. Hegseth said the Pentagon is working with DOGE to streamline the notoriously sluggish military procurement system and simplify acquisition timelines.

His statement also listed $62 billion for nuclear weapons modernisation and $3.5 billion to fund the next-generation F-47 fighter jet.

The proposed budget represents a massive expansion from current spending levels, jumping from over $800 billion to nearly $1 trillion. However, lawmakers expressed frustration over the lack of transparency. The administration has yet to release the full budget proposal.

Troops in Los Angeles draw fire from lawmakers

Overshadowing budget talks, however, was the deployment of 4,800 troops — including 700 active-duty Marines — to Los Angeles. The mobilisation followed days of immigration protest clashes and sparked bipartisan alarm over the legality and necessity of such a move.

Representative Betty McCollum, the top Democrat on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, criticised the deployment: “The active duty military has absolutely no legal role in domestic law enforcement. President Trump and Secretary Hegseth should read the Constitution and follow the law.”

Hegseth refused to disclose the cost of the deployment despite repeated questions, prompting McCollum to declare, “There’s no need for the Marines to be deployed. This is a deeply unfair position to put our Marines in.”

Hegseth sidestepped specifics, instead using the platform to blame prior administrations and defend the decision as necessary to secure federal assets.

Marines positioned for “crowd control,” not arrests

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith told senators in a separate hearing that the battalion in Los Angeles was fully trained for crowd control but would not engage in law enforcement.

“They have no arrest authority,” Smith stated. “I am not concerned. I have great faith in my Marines and their junior leaders and their more senior leaders to execute the lawful tasks that they are given.”

According to the Pentagon, the Marines are equipped with shields and batons, and their firearms and ammunition will be kept separately, to be used only for self-defence or protection of federal facilities.

Protests, politics, and Presidential power

The deployment under Title 10 — a law allowing the president to use federal forces to protect property — has reignited debate about executive overreach. California Governor Gavin Newsom did not request the assistance and is suing the federal government over the decision.

President Trump escalated tensions further by suggesting on Truth Social that Governor Newsom “could be arrested” if he interferes. He referred to demonstrators as “violent, insurrectionist mobs” and “paid insurrectionists.”

Democratic Representative Jimmy Gomez accused the White House of using the crisis to distract from its internal troubles: “It’s a deliberate attempt by Trump to incite unrest, test the limits of executive power and distract from the lawlessness of his administration.”

Signal leaks, internal chaos add to Hegseth’s troubles

Tuesday’s appearance marked Hegseth’s first testimony since reports revealed he used the encrypted messaging app Signal to share sensitive military information, including with his wife. The disclosure is under internal review by the Pentagon’s inspector general.

Since his swearing-in on 25 January, Hegseth has also dismissed several top aides and has been without a chief of staff since April. Yet in his opening remarks to Congress, he made no mention of the Signal leaks, budget secrecy, staff firings, or the controversial Los Angeles deployment.

Instead, he leaned into familiar talking points, saying the military under his leadership has ended diversity programmes, reduced the number of general officers, and committed to building a $175 billion national missile defence shield.

Trump to mark Army’s 250th Anniversary amid deployment fallout

After testifying, Hegseth is set to travel with President Trump to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary — an event that also coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday.

The administration has used the milestone to justify a proposed military parade in Washington, D.C., drawing criticism from opponents who see it as a political spectacle. Among the budget line items expected to be questioned in coming days is $45 million allocated for the parade and hundreds of millions earmarked to convert a Qatari jet into the new Air Force One.

Several members of Congress, particularly Democrats, have raised concerns about what they call a pattern of reckless decision-making at the Pentagon.

“The department is mired in controversy and chaos,” said one lawmaker at Tuesday’s hearing.

Whether Hegseth can hold his ground in the coming weeks may determine the fate of Trump’s ambitious $1 trillion defence agenda — and whether America’s military strategy is truly being shaped for deterrence or simply for spectacle.

(With inputs from AP, Bloomberg)